stow
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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Nautical.
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to put (cargo, provisions, etc.) in the places intended for them.
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to put (sails, spars, gear, etc.) in the proper place or condition when not in use.
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to put in a place or receptacle, as for storage or reserve; pack.
He stowed the potatoes in our cellar.
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to fill (a place or receptacle) by packing.
to stow a carton with books.
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to have or afford room for; hold.
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Slang. to stop; break off.
Stow it! Stow the talk!
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to put away, as in a safe or convenient place (often followed byaway ).
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to lodge or quarter.
verb phrase
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stow away to conceal oneself aboard a ship or other conveyance in order to obtain free transportation or to elude pursuers.
noun
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a city in NE Ohio.
verb
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(often foll by away) to pack or store
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to fill by packing
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nautical to pack or put away (cargo, sails and other gear, etc)
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to have enough room for
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slang (usually imperative) to cease from
stow your noise!
stow it!
noun
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John. 1525–1605, English antiquary, noted for his Survey of London and Westminster (1598; 1603)
Other Word Forms
- restow verb (used with object)
- stowable adjective
Etymology
Origin of stow
1300–50; Middle English stowen, Old English stōwigan to keep, hold back (literally, to place), derivative of stōw place; akin to Old Norse eldstō fireplace, Gothic stojan to judge (literally, to place)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Alternatively, Gulf producers could charter ships to stow crude at sea as their tanks on land fill up.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026
Yet Trương doesn’t solely focus on these two young lovers, nor on Nam’s specific plan to stow himself away for good.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2025
Flights do not include "trolley bags" to stow in overhead compartments or checked baggage.
From BBC • Aug. 16, 2024
Amazon said it will eventually be looking for workers to stow, pick, pack and sort packages, paying hourly wages between $17 and $28.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 15, 2024
Then he woke and picked his bedding up to stow away on a chair in the megaron.
From "The Odyssey" by Homer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.