pack

[pak]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pack ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a group of things wrapped or tied together for easy handling or carrying; a bundle, especially one to be carried on the back of an animal or a person: a mule pack; a hiker's pack.

a definite quantity or standard measure of something wrapped up or otherwise assembled for merchandising (sometimes used in combination): a pack of cigarettes; a six-pack of beer.

the quantity of something that is packaged, canned, or the like, at one time, in one season, etc.: last year's salmon pack.

a group of people or things: a pack of fools; a pack of lies.

a group of certain animals of the same kind, especially predatory ones: a pack of wolves.

Hunting. a number of hounds, especially foxhounds and beagles, regularly used together in a hunt.

a complete set of playing cards, usually 52 in number; deck.

backpack.

a considerable area of pieces of floating ice driven or packed together.

Metalworking. a pile of metal sheets for hot-rolling together.

Medicine/Medical.

a wrapping of the body in wet or dry clothes for therapeutic purposes.
the cloths so used.
Obsolete.the state of being so wrapped.

Mining.

Also called pack wall.a rubble wall for supporting a roof.
any of various other roof supports of timber, timber and rubble, or rubble and wire mesh.

a cosmetic material, usually of a pastelike consistency, applied either to the face or to the hair and scalp: a mud pack; a beauty pack; a henna pack.

pac²(def 1).

Obsolete. a plot; conspiracy.

Obsolete. a low or worthless person.

verb (used with object)

to make into a pack or bundle.

to form into a group or compact mass.

to fill with anything compactly arranged: to pack a trunk.

to put into or arrange compactly in a trunk, valise, etc., as for traveling or storage: I packed a two-week supply of clothes for the trip.

to press or crowd together within; cram: The crowd packed the gallery.

to prepare for marketing by putting into containers or packages: to pack fruit for shipping.

to make airtight, vaportight, or watertight by stuffing: to pack the piston of a steam engine.

to cover or envelop with something pressed closely around.

to load, as with packs: We packed the mules and then set off for the lake.

to carry or wear, especially as part of one's usual equipment: to pack a gun.

Informal. to deliver (a powerful blow, strong message, etc.): He packs a better punch than any heavyweight in years. His speech packed a powerful plea for peace.

to treat with a therapeutic pack.

verb (used without object)

to pack goods in compact form, as for transportation or storage (often followed by up).

to place clothes and personal items in a suitcase, trunk, etc., preparatory to traveling.

to be capable of or suitable for compact storage or packing for transportation: articles that pack well.

to crowd together, as persons: The audience packed into the auditorium.

to become compacted: Wet snow packs readily.

to collect into a group: The grouse began to pack.

adjective

transporting, or used in transporting, a pack or load: pack animals.

compressed into a pack; packed.

used in or adapted for packing: pack equipment.

Chiefly Scot. (of animals) tame.

Verb Phrases

pack in/up, to relinquish or give up; quit: One failure was no reason to pack the whole experiment in. After thirty years of touring, the violinist packed his career up and retired.

pack off/away,

to dispatch: We packed the kids off to camp for the summer.
to leave hastily.

Idioms

pack it in,

to give up; abandon one's efforts: In 1972 we packed it in and moved back to Florida.
to cease being a nuisance.

Origin of pack

1175–1225; (noun) Middle English pak, packe < Middle Dutch pac or perhaps Middle Low German pak; (v.) Middle English pakken < Middle Dutch or Middle Low German

Synonyms for pack

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pack ON THESAURUS.COM

1. See package. 4. band, company, crew. 5. See flock¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for pack it in

quit, perish, wilt, buckle, yield, bow, defer, cease, capitulate, relinquish, cede, renounce, waive, leave, concede, submit, abandon, commit, succumb, shutter

British Dictionary definitions for pack it in

pack

noun

a bundle or load, esp one carried on the back
(as modifier)a pack animal

a collected amount of anything

a complete set of similar things, esp a set of 52 playing cards

a group of animals of the same kind, esp hunting animalsa pack of hounds

any group or band that associates together, esp for criminal purposes

rugby the forwards of a team or both teams collectively, as in a scrum or in rucking

the basic organizational unit of Cub Scouts and Brownie Guides

a small package, carton, or container, used to retail commodities, esp foodstuffs, cigarettes, etc
(in combination)pack-sealed

US and Canadian a small or medium-sized container of cardboard, paper, etc, often together with its contentsAlso called (in Britain and certain other countries): packet

short for pack ice

the quantity of something, such as food, packaged for preservation

med

a sheet or blanket, either damp or dry, for wrapping about the body, esp for its soothing effect
a material such as cotton or gauze for temporarily filling a bodily cavity, esp to control bleeding

short for backpack, rucksack

mining a roof support, esp one made of rubble

short for face pack

a parachute folded and ready for use

computing another name for deck (def. 5)

go to the pack Australian and NZ informal to fall into a lower state or condition

verb

to place or arrange (articles) in (a container), such as clothes in a suitcase

(tr) to roll up into a bundle

(when passive, often foll by out) to press tightly together; cramthe audience packed into the foyer; the hall was packed out

(tr; foll by in or into) to fit (many things, experiences, etc) into a limited space or timeshe packed a lot of theatre visits into her holiday

to form (snow, ice, etc) into a hard compact mass or (of snow, ice, etc) to become compacted

(tr) to press in or cover tightlyto pack a hole with cement

(tr) to load (a horse, donkey, etc) with a burden

(often foll by off or away) to send away or go away, esp hastily

(tr) to seal (a joint) by inserting a layer of compressible material between the faces

(tr) to fill (a bearing or gland) with grease to lubricate it

(tr) to separate (two adjoining components) so that they have a predetermined gap between them, by introducing shims, washers, plates, etc

(tr) med to treat with a pack

(tr) slang to be capable of inflicting (a blow)he packs a mean punch

(tr) US informal to carry or wear habituallyhe packs a gun

(intr often foll by down) rugby to form a scrum

(tr; often foll by into, to, etc) US, Canadian and NZ to carry (goods), esp on the backwill you pack your camping equipment into the mountains?

pack one's bags informal to get ready to leave

send packing informal to dismiss peremptorily

Word Origin for pack

C13: related to Middle Low German pak, of obscure origin

pack

verb

(tr) to fill (a legislative body, committee, etc) with one's own supportersto pack a jury

Word Origin for pack

C16: perhaps changed from pact

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for pack it in

pack

"bundle," early 13c., probably from a Low German word (cf. Middle Dutch pac, pack "bundle," Middle Low German pak, Middle Flemish pac, attested from late 12c.), originally a term of wool traders in Flanders; or possibly from Old Norse pakki. All are of unknown origin.

Italian pacco is a Dutch loan word; French pacque probably is from Flemish. Meaning "set of persons" (usually of a low character) is c.1300, older than sense of "group of hunting animals" (early 15c.). Extended to collective sets of playing cards (1590s), floating ice (1791), cigarettes (1924), and submarines (1943). Meaning "knapsack on a frame" is attested from 1916. Pack of lies first attested 1763.

pack

c.1300, "to put together in a pack," from pack (n.), possibly influenced by Anglo-French empaker (late 13c.) and Medieval Latin paccare "pack."

Some senses suggesting "make secret arrangement" are from an Elizabethan mispronunciation of pact. Sense of "to carry or convey in a pack" (1805) led to general sense of "to carry in any manner;" hence to pack heat "carry a gun," underworld slang from 1940s; "to be capable of delivering" (a punch, etc.), from 1921. Related: Packed; packing.

pack it in in Medicine

pack

[păk]

v.

To fill, stuff, plug, or tampon.

To enwrap or envelop the body in a sheet, blanket, or other covering.

To apply a dressing or covering to a surgical site.

n.

The swathing of a patient or body part in hot, cold, wet, or dry materials, such as cloth towels, sheets, or blankets.

The materials so used.

An ice pack; an ice bag.

Idioms and Phrases with pack it in

pack it in

Stop working or abandon an activity, as in Let's pack it in for the day. This usage alludes to packing one's things before departing, and during World War I became military slang for being killed. It also is used as an imperative ordering someone to stop, as in Pack it in! I've heard enough out of you. In Britain it is also put as pack it up. [Colloquial; early 1900s]

pack

In addition to the idioms beginning with pack

pack a punch
packed in like sardines
pack it in
pack off
pack them in

also see:

Joe six-pack
send someone about his or her business (packing)