carpetbag

noun

1. A traveling bag made from scraps of carpet and widely used in the United States (and elsewhere) in the 19ᵗʰ century.

   “Pen jumped out of the carriage then, his carpet-bag in hand, and briskly determined to face his fortune.”

verb

1. (US)To come to a place or organisation with which one has no previous connection with the sole or primary aim of personal gain, especially political or financial gain.

   “The Five Star Movement has long railed against carpetbagging, but for all of Ms. D’Alessandro’s efforts to seem of the place — talking about her childhood in Naples and showing the bar where she had her first date — she clearly isn’t.”

adj

1. (US, not-comparable)Having the characteristics of carpetbaggers.

   “carpetbag travels”