pack

[ pak ]

/ pæk /

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See synonyms for: pack / packed / packer / packest 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 (def. 1).

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR pack

4 band, company, crew.

See synonyms for pack on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms about pack

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

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English noun pak, packe, from Middle Dutch pac, or perhaps Middle Low German pak; verb derivative of the noun

synonym study for pack

1. See package. 5. See flock¹

Words nearby pack

pacify, pacing catheter, Pacini, Pacinian corpuscle, Pacino, pack, packable, package, package deal, packager, package store

Other definitions for pack (2 of 3)

pack²

[ pak ]

/ pæk /

verb (used with object)

to choose, collect, arrange, or manipulate (cards, persons, facts, etc.) so as to serve one's own purposes: to pack the deck; to pack a jury.

Origin of pack

First recorded in 1520–30; perhaps variant of pact

Other definitions for pack (3 of 3)

pack³

[ pak ]

/ pæk /

adjective

Scot. very friendly or intimate.

Origin of pack

First recorded in 1780–90; perhaps special use of pack¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use pack in a sentence

For the uninitiated, the road to Hana is that legendary 51 miles from Kahului packed with tight turns, one-lane bridges and enough waterfalls to fill an SD card.
A Maui vacation in three acts|Alex Pulaski|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
Google is now labeling businesses in co-working spaces with a “coworking office space” label in the local pack within the search results.
Is Google moving toward being search marketing’s point of singularity: Thursday’s daily brief|Carolyn Lyden|February 11, 2021|Search Engine Land
Therapists who work with adolescents say that for many of their clients, the quarantine, especially early last spring, felt like a release valve to their pressure-packed lives.
The loneliness of an interrupted adolescence|Ellen McCarthy|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
It also locks, which means they won’t have worry about it turning on inside their pack and draining the three AAA batteries inside.
Outdoorsy Gear Guy–Approved Valentine's Day Gifts|Joe Jackson|February 10, 2021|Outside Online

These typically last between 30 minutes to an hour, though you can extend the heating time by adding extra packs or keeping them in coat pockets.
Best hand warmers: Block the chill during your favorite winter activities|PopSci Commerce Team|February 10, 2021|Popular-Science
“Change can be exciting,” Cuomo says to Richards as he helps her pack up her office.
Mario Cuomo, Ann Richards Concede to Doritos|The Daily Beast Video|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
While some stray from the fold, most stay with the same pack their entire lives.
Mongooses, Meerkats, and Ants, Oh My! Why Some Animals Keep Mating All in the Family|Helen Thompson|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And lo, Snowballs—underpants which can hold a flexible gel pack that you store in the freezer—was born.
Men, Ice Your Balls To Make Babies—and Other Male Fertility Fixes|Tom Sykes|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Plus the notion of the poor little guy surrounded by a rag-tag pack of true believers is an American favorite.
Honey Boo Boo, Snake Oil, and Ebola: The Weird World of Young Living Essential Oils|Kent Sepkowitz|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
New York City boasts the highest cost for cigarettes in the nation, with a pack ranging anywhere from $12 and up.
Eric Garner Was Choked to Death for Selling Loosies|Nick Gillespie|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The party was made up of six men on horseback, two tame buffaloes, and a pack of immense dogs used to hunting.
Alila, Our Little Philippine Cousin|Mary Hazelton Wade
There was no fight in his men; they ran like a pack of frightened coyotes at the first crack of a gun.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
Dorothy cleared off the table, and went to her own room to pack up her clothes, and prepare for her journey.
The World Before Them|Susanna Moodie
Then we mounted and took to the trail again, stripped down to fighting-trim, unhampered by a pack-horse.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
The pack-horses, with no riders at their heels to guide them, had tangled each other in the connecting-rope and stopped.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for pack (1 of 2)

pack¹

/ (pæk) /

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

Derived forms of pack

packable, adjective

Word Origin for pack

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

British Dictionary definitions for pack (2 of 2)

pack²

/ (pæk) /

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

Medical definitions for pack

pack

[ păk ]

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.

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.

Other Idioms and Phrases with pack

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)

pack

OTHER WORDS FOR pack

Idioms about pack

Origin of pack

synonym study for pack

Words nearby pack

Other definitions for pack (2 of 3)

Origin of pack

Other definitions for pack (3 of 3)

Origin of pack

Words related to pack

How to use pack in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pack (1 of 2)

Derived forms of pack

Word Origin for pack

British Dictionary definitions for pack (2 of 2)

Word Origin for pack

Medical definitions for pack

Other Idioms and Phrases with pack