brown bag

plural brown bags · alternative brown-bag

1. A brown paper bag.
2. idiomaticA short presentation or seminar on a given subject, especially one given at lunchtime.

   Did you attend the brown bag Tuesday on healthy exercise habits?

   1 more example

   So what student would choose to work in Washington for zero compensation, with benefits listed as "brown-bags," "farewell reception" and "athletic and service opportunities"?

   1994 November 6, William Goss, “Interning For Pleasure And Profit”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   Synonyms: lunch-and-learn

present singular third person brown bags · participle present brown bagging · participle past brown bagged · past brown bagged · alternative brown-bag

1. ambitransitiveinformalTo carry one's packed lunch from home, either literally or figuratively in a brown paper bag or a lunchbox, rather than purchase it from a cafeteria or restaurant.

   I'm brown bagging it again this month because the combination of healthy plus inexpensive is hard to beat otherwise.

2. ambitransitiveinformalTo consume alcohol in public from the bottle or can, while it is held concealed inside a brown paper bag, so as to avoid attention e.g. from the police.

   I'm brown bagging it again today because I haven't managed to kick this habit yet.

3. ambitransitiveinformalagricultureTo plant seed saved from one's own harvest, as opposed to buying new seed from a seed company.

   I'm brown bagging it again this year because I don't need to be spending money on expensive hybrids.