stuff

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stuff / stəf/ • n. 1. matter, material, articles, or activities of a specified or indeterminate kind that are being referred to, indicated, or implied: a pickup truck picked the stuff up | a girl who's good at the technical stuff. ∎  a person's belongings, equipment, or baggage: he took his stuff and went. ∎  Brit., inf., dated worthless or foolish ideas, speech, or writing; rubbish: [as interj.] stuff and nonsense! ∎ inf. drink or drugs. ∎  (one's stuff) things in which one is knowledgeable and experienced; one's area of expertise: he knows his stuff and can really write.2. the basic constituents or characteristics of something or someone: Healey was made of sterner stuff | such a trip was the stuff of his dreams.3. Brit., dated woolen fabric, esp. as distinct from silk, cotton, and linen: [as adj.] her dark stuff gown. 4. (in sports) spin given to a ball to make it vary its course. ∎ Baseball a pitcher’s ability to produce such spin or control the speed of delivery of a pitch.• v. [tr.] 1. fill (a receptacle or space) tightly with something: an old teapot stuffed full of cash | fig. his head has been stuffed with myths and taboos. ∎ inf. force or cram (something) tightly into a receptacle or space: he stuffed a thick wad of cash into his jacket pocket. ∎ inf. hastily or clumsily push (something) into a space: Sadie took the coin and stuffed it in her coat pocket. ∎  fill (the cavity of an item of food) with a savory or sweet mixture, esp. before cooking: chicken stuffed with mushrooms and breadcrumbs. ∎  (be stuffed up) (of a person) have one's nose blocked up with mucus as a result of a cold. ∎ inf. fill (oneself) with large amounts of food: he stuffed himself with potato chips. ∎  fill out the skin of (a dead animal or bird) with material to restore the original shape and appearance: he took the bird to a taxidermist to be stuffed | [as adj.] (stuffed) a stuffed parrot. ∎ inf. fill (envelopes) with identical copies of printed matter: they spent the whole time in a back room stuffing envelopes. ∎  place bogus votes in (a ballot box).2. [usu. in imper.] Brit., inf. used to express indifference toward or rejection of (something): stuff the diet!PHRASES: and stuff inf. said in vague reference to additional things of a similar nature to those specified: all that running and swimming and stuff.get stuffed [usu. in imper.] vulgar slang said in anger to tell someone to go away or as an expression of contempt.stuff it inf. said to express indifference, resignation, or rejection: Stuff it, I'm 61, what do I care?that's the stuff inf. said in approval of what has just been done or said.DERIVATIVES: stuff·er n. [in comb.] a sausage-stuffer.

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