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store1 S1 W1
[countable]
[countable]1 a place where goods are sold to the public. In British English, a store is large and sells many different things, but in American English, a store can be large or small, and sell many things or only one type of thing [↪ shop]: At Christmas the stores stay open late.
shop
At Christmas the stores stay open late. shoe/clothing/grocery etc store American English (=one that sells one type of goods) She worked in a bookstore during college.
She worked in a bookstore during college. go to the store American English (=go to a store that sells food) I need to go to the store for some milk.
➔ chain store, department store, general store ➔ see usage note shop1I need to go to the store for some milk.2 a supply of something that you keep to use later fat stores in the body (=that your body keeps)
supply
fat stores in the body (=that your body keeps)3 a large building in which goods are kept so they can be used or sold later : a grain store
place to keep things
a grain store4 if something unexpected such as a surprise or problem is in store for someone, it is about to happen to them : There's a real treat in store for you this Christmas!
in store (for somebody)
There's a real treat in store for you this Christmas!5
military
stores
[plural]a) PM supplies of food and equipment that are used by an army, navy etc : medical stores
medical storesb) PM the building or room in an army camp, ship etc where these are kept
6 to consider something to be important : Patrick has never set much store by material things.
set great/considerable etc store by something
Patrick has never set much store by material things.WORD CHOICE: WORD CHOICE:
shop, storeIn British English, shop is the usual word and store is sometimes used to mean a very large shop where many different kinds of things are sold, for example a large supermarket or department store • They live opposite a row of shops. • This item is available in our London store.In American English, store is the usual word and shop is sometimes used to mean a small store that sells one type of goods • Will you go to the store for me? • a card shopIn British English, you can talk about the shops • I'm going to the shops - do you want anything? But speakers of American English never say 'the stores'. ➔ See also shop
WORD CHOICE: shop, storeIn British English, shop is the usual word and store is sometimes used to mean a very large shop where many different kinds of things are sold, for example a large supermarket or department store • They live opposite a row of shops. • This item is available in our London store.In American English, store is the usual word and shop is sometimes used to mean a small store that sells one type of goods • Will you go to the store for me? • a card shopIn British English, you can talk about the shops • I'm going to the shops - do you want anything? But speakers of American English never say 'the stores'. ➔ See also shop
