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What does "carry so much baggage" mean?

Posted by Lewis on November 13, 2003

In Reply to: What does "carry so much baggage" mean? posted by YSG on November 13, 2003

: May I ask a question on phrase?

: Recently I read a news which had this phrase. It seems to me that the phrase doesn't relate to physical baggages and luggage...

: Does it mean burden? I've checked up some online dictionaries (Yahoo!, Webster, Oxford, Cambridge) but cannot get an answer...

: Is there an origin as well?

"Baggage" is a term from counselling and it means all of the emotional consequences of life - in particular is means the negative aspects of the past that the person has not left behind - so a person with "baggage" makes life more difficult for themself by carrying around the burden of the 'unfinished business' of their life. It is a helpful, but over-employed metaphor.

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