Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: DAILY LIFE

Sense: 1-5, 7
Date: 1300-1400
Origin: PACK2
Sense: 6
Date: 1500-1600
Origin: pack 'to make a secret agreement' (16-17 centuries), perhaps from pact

pack

1 verb
     
pack1 S2 W3
1

clothes

[intransitive and transitive] also pack upD to put things into cases, bags etc ready for a trip somewhere:
I forgot to pack my razor.
Have you finished packing yet?
pack your things/belongings
Kelly packed her things before breakfast.
pack a bag/case
You'd better pack your bags. We're leaving in an hour.
pack somebody something
Shall I pack us a picnic?
2

goods

[transitive] also pack up to put something into a box or other container, so that it can be moved, sold, or stored
pack something in/into something
Now wild mushrooms are available all year, packed in handy 25g boxes.
3

crowd

[intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to go in large numbers into a space, or to make people or animals do this, until the space is too full
pack into/in/onto
50,000 fans packed into the stadium.
The sheep had been packed into a truck and transported without food or water.
4

protect something

[transitive] to cover or fill an object with soft material so that it does not get damaged
pack in/with
Glass must be packed in several layers of paper.
5

snow/soil etc

DLG to press snow, soil, sand etc down so that it becomes hard and firm
pack something down
Pack the soil down firmly.
6

pack your bags

informal to leave a place and not return, especially because of a disagreement
7

pack a gun

American English informalPMW to carry a gun
8

pack a (hard/hefty/strong etc) punch

also pack a wallop informal to have a very strong or impressive effect:
The Spanish wine, with the flavour of honey, packed quite a punch.

➔ send somebody packing

at send (11)

pack something ↔ away

phrasal verb
to put something back in a box, case etc where it is usually kept:
Christmas was over and the decorations packed away.

pack in

phrasal verb
1

pack something ↔ in

also pack something into something to do a lot in a limited period of time, or fit a lot of information, ideas etc into a limited space:
We packed a lot of sightseeing into two weeks.
In an essay of 2000 words, you can pack a lot in.
2

pack somebody ↔ in

informal if a film, play etc packs people in, it attracts large numbers to come and see it:
Any film starring Tom Cruise always packs them in.
3

pack something ↔ in

British English informal to stop doing a job or activity that you are not enjoying:
After one year, I packed in university.
Sometimes I feel like packing it all in and going off travelling.
4

pack it in

British English spoken used to tell someone to stop doing something that is annoying you
5 British English informal if a machine packs in, it stops working because there is something wrong with it [= pack up]:
Halfway to the airport, the engine packed in.

pack somebody/something off

phrasal verb
to send someone to stay somewhere for a period of time
pack somebody/something off to
My parents used to pack us off to camp every summer.

pack up

phrasal verb
1 to put things into cases, bags etc ready for a trip somewhere:
Most of the holidaymakers had packed up and gone.
pack something ↔ up
I gave her a hand packing up her clothes and stuff.
2

pack something ↔ up

to put something into a box or other container, so that it can be moved, sold, or stored:
Don't worry. The removal men will pack everything up.
3 informalB to finish work at the end of the day:
'What time do you pack up?' 'Oh, about six.'
4 British English informalT if a machine packs up, it stops working because there is something wrong with it [= pack in]:
The photocopier's packed up again.
5BE

pack something ↔ up

British English informal to stop doing something, especially a job:
He packed up his teaching job after only three months.
Definition of pack from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic DAILY LIFE

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AC bag bar box(n) box(v) button cable can card cart case channel chart clip digital female file fitness flag flat frame gas gut handle health hip key label LCD lead library light link log male manual material meter mode net oil pack package paper paste pocket portfolio screen seat service(n) service(v) setting sort spring staff standard switch tab tag(n) tag(v) thread top tube watch

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