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¹stuff

noun \ˈstəf\

: materials, supplies, or equipment

: a group or pile of things that are not specifically described

—used to speak in a general way about something that is talked about, written about, etc.

Full Definition of STUFF

: materials, supplies, or equipment used in various activities: as

a obsolete : military baggage

b : personal property

: material to be manufactured, wrought, or used in construction <clear half-inch pine stuff — Emily Holt>

: a finished textile suitable for clothing; especially : wool or worsted material

a : literary or artistic production

b : writing, discourse, talk, or ideas of little value : trash

a : an unspecified material substance or aggregate of matter <volcanic rock is curious stuff>

b : something (as a drug or food) consumed or introduced into the body by humans

c : a matter to be considered <the truth was heady stuff> <long-term policy stuff>

d : a group or scattering of miscellaneous objects or articles <pick that stuff up off the floor>; also : nonphysical unspecified material <conservation and…all kinds of good stuff — Eric Korn>

a : fundamental material : substance <the stuff of greatness>

b : subject matter <a teacher who knows her stuff>

: special knowledge or capability <showing their stuff>

a : spin imparted to a thrown or hit ball to make it curve or change course

b : the movement of a baseball pitch out of its apparent line of flight : the liveliness of a pitch <greatest pitcher of my time…had tremendous stuff — Ted Williams>

: dunk shot

— stuff·less adjective

See stuff defined for English-language learners

See stuff defined for kids

Origin of STUFF

Middle English, from Anglo-French estuffes goods, from estuffer to fill in (with rubble), furnish, equip, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German stopfōn to stop up, from Vulgar Latin *stuppare — more at stop

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to STUFF

Synonyms: capability, credentials, goods, qualification

Rhymes with STUFF

bluff, buff, chough, chuff, cuff, duff, fluff, gruff, guff, huff, luff, muff, puff, rough, ruff, scruff, scuff, slough, snuff, sough, tough, tuff

²stuff

transitive verb

: to fill (something) so that there is no room for anything else

: to push (something) quickly and carelessly into a small space

: to put a seasoned mixture of food into (something that is being cooked)

Full Definition of STUFF

a : to fill by packing things in : cram <the boy stuffed his pockets with candy>

b : to fill to satiety : surfeit <stuffed themselves with turkey>

c : to prepare (meat or vegetables) by filling or lining with a stuffing

d : to fill (as a cushion) with a soft material

e : to fill out the skin of (an animal) for mounting

a : to fill by intellectual effort <stuffing their heads with facts>

b : to pack full of something immaterial <a book stuffed with information>

: to fill or block up (as nasal passages)

a : to cause to enter or fill : thrust <stuffed a lot of clothing into a laundry bag>

b : to put (as a ball or puck) into a goal forcefully from close range

—used in the imperative to express contempt <if they didn't like it, stuff 'em — Eric Clapton> ; often used in the phrases stuff it and get stuffed

: to stop (a ballcarrier) abruptly in a football game <stuffed the runner just short of a first down>

First Known Use of STUFF

15th century

Related to STUFF

Synonyms: block, bung, dam, pack, plug, stop, fill

Antonyms: clear, free, open (up), unblock, unclog, unplug, unstop

STUFF Defined for Kids

¹stuff

noun \ˈstəf\

Definition of STUFF for Kids

: materials, supplies, or equipment that people need or use <We helped move his stuff to the new apartment.>

: writing, speech, sounds, actions, or ideas of little value <… some of the boys act so immature, making monkey sounds and stuff. — Paula Danziger, Amber Brown>

: something mentioned or understood but not named <Wipe that stuff off your face.>

: basic part of something : substance <The floor is made of tough stuff.> <She shows the stuff of greatness.>