swag

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   informal: money or goods obtained by theft or other illegal activity

   The robbers divided the swag after escaping from the wagon.

2. 2
   noun

   free promotional goods, especially items bearing a company's or event's name

   Conference guests received a bag of branded swag.

3. 3
   noun

   Australian: a bundle of personal belongings carried by a traveler

   The traveler rolled his blanket and clothes into a swag.

4. 4
   verb

   to hang, sag, or move in a heavy curve

   The damp rope began to swag between the posts.

Probably related to Scandinavian words for swinging or swaying, reflected in the older verb 'to sag or sway.' The noun developed senses for a hanging bundle, a traveler's roll, and then stolen goods; the promotional-goods sense is a later extension.

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