stack

stack / stak/ • n. 1. a pile of objects, typically one that is neatly arranged: a stack of boxes. ∎  (a stack of/stacks of) inf. a large quantity of something: there's stacks of work for me now. ∎  a rectangular or cylindrical pile of hay or straw or of grain in sheaf. ∎  a vertical arrangement of stereo or guitar amplification equipment. ∎  a number of aircraft flying in circles at different altitudes around the same point while waiting for permission to land at an airport. ∎  a pyramidal group of rifles. ∎  (the stacks) units of shelving in part of a library , used to store books compactly. ∎  Comput. a set of storage locations that store data in such a way that the most recently stored item is the first to be retrieved. 2. a chimney, esp. one on a factory, or a vertical exhaust pipe on a vehicle. ∎  (also sea stack) a column of rock standing in the sea, remaining after erosion of cliffs. • v. [tr.] 1. arrange (a number of things) in a pile, typically a neat one: the books had been stacked up in three piles she stood up, beginning to stack the plates. ∎  fill or cover (a place or surface) with piles of things, typically neat ones: he spent most of the time stacking shelves. ∎  cause (an aircraft) to fly in circles while waiting for permission to land at an airport: I hope we aren't stacked for hours over Kennedy. 2. shuffle or arrange (a deck of cards) dishonestly so as to gain an unfair advantage. ∎  (be stacked against/in favor of) used to refer to a situation that is such that an unfavorable or a favorable outcome is overwhelmingly likely: the odds were stacked against Fiji in the World Cup they found the courts stacked in favor of timber interests. 3. [intr.] (in snowboarding) fall over. PHRASES: stack arms place a number of rifles with their butts on the ground and the muzzles together.PHRASAL VERBS: stack up 1. (or stack something up) form or cause to form a large quantity; build up: cars stack up behind every bus, while passengers stand in line to pay fares. 2. inf. measure up; compare: our rural schools stack up well against their urban counterparts. ∎  make sense; correspond to reality: to blame the debacle on the antics of a rogue trader is not credible—it doesn't stack up. DERIVATIVES: stack·a·ble adj. stack·er n.