Definition of stuff
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: materials, supplies, or equipment used in various activities: such as
a
obsolete
: military baggage
2
: material to be manufactured, wrought, or used in construction
clear half-inch pine stuff— Emily Holt
3
: a finished textile suitable for clothing
especially
: wool or worsted material
4a
: literary or artistic production
b
: writing, discourse, talk, or ideas of little value : trash
5a
: 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
6a
: fundamental material : substance
the stuff of greatness
b
: subject matter
a teacher who knows her stuff
7
: special knowledge or capability
showing their stuff
8a
: 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
9
: dunk shot
stuff
verb
stuffed; stuffing; stuffs
Definition of stuff (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: 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 (something, such as a cushion) with a soft material
e
: to fill out the skin of (an animal) for mounting
2a
: to fill by intellectual effort
stuffing their heads with facts
b
: to pack full of something immaterial
a book stuffed with information
3
: to fill or block up (something, such as nasal passages)
4a
: to cause to enter or fill : thrust
stuffed a lot of clothing into a laundry bag
b
: to put (a ball, a puck, etc.) into a goal forcefully from close range
5
—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
6
: to stop (a ballcarrier) abruptly in a football game
stuffed the runner just short of a first down
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Time Traveler for stuff
The first known use of stuff was in the 14th century
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