stow

verb

stowed; stowing; stows

transitive verb

1
2
a
: to put away for future use : store
b
obsolete : to lock up for safekeeping : confine
3
a
: to dispose in an orderly fashion : arrange, pack
b
: load
4
slang : to put aside : stop
5
a
archaic : crowd
b
: to eat or drink up
usually used with away
stowed away a huge dinner

Examples of stow in a Sentence

He stowed his gear in a locker. Luggage may be stowed under the seat.
Recent Examples on the Web With an exceptional warmth-to-weight ratio, this jacket can be stowed in its external bag or the right-hand pocket for easy storage. Gabrielle Porcaro, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023 Instead, first-class passengers will have more storage space within each suite, including wardrobe storage for jackets and other areas to stow personal belongings. Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2023 Taylor’s son took the gun, which was stored without a lock, from her purse and stowed it in his backpack before heading to school on Jan. 6. Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023 Portable Hammock Tucked into its attached pouch, this lightweight nylon taffeta hammock is small enough to stow in a beach bag or backpack. Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023 For the last four decades, the writings, which span a period from around 1450 B.C. to 100 B.C., have been stowed in a vault, fragile and easily damaged by light. Franz Lidz, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2023 The bag conveniently stows in its internal zip pocket and includes a grab handle to carry without hassle. Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2023 The pliers are sturdy and the blades are quite sharp on the saw, knife, wirecutter blade, and scissors, which all stow easily. Barbara Bellesi Zito, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2023 This 13-inch size is perfect for travel, commuting, and more, since it can effortlessly be stowed in your favorite tote bag. Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to place, from stowe place, from Old English stōw; akin to Old Frisian stō place, Greek stylos pillar — more at steer

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stow was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near stow

Cite this Entry

“Stow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stow. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

stow

verb
1
: to put away : store
stowed their belongings in the closet
2
a
: arrange sense 1, pack
quickly stowed the cargo
b
: load entry 2 sense 1a
stowed the ships to capacity
3
: to eat or drink up
stow away a meal

Geographical Definition

Stow

geographical name

city in northeastern Ohio northeast of Akron population 34,837

Biographical Definition

Stow

biographical name

John 1525–1605 English historian and antiquarian

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