stow
verb (used with object)
stow
1 American
[stoh]
/ stoʊ /
verb (used with object)
stows,
present (3rd person singular)
stowed,
past participle, past
stowing
present participle
-
Nautical.
-
to put (cargo, provisions, etc.) in the places intended for them.
-
to put (sails, spars, gear, etc.) in the proper place or condition when not in use.
-
-
to put in a place or receptacle, as for storage or reserve; pack.
He stowed the potatoes in our cellar.
-
to fill (a place or receptacle) by packing.
to stow a carton with books.
-
to have or afford room for; hold.
-
Slang. to stop; break off.
Stow it! Stow the talk!
-
to put away, as in a safe or convenient place (often followed byaway ).
-
to lodge or quarter.
verb phrase
Stow
2
American
[stoh]
/ stoʊ /
noun
stow
1
British
/ stəʊ /
verb
-
(often foll by away) to pack or store
-
to fill by packing
-
nautical to pack or put away (cargo, sails and other gear, etc)
-
to have enough room for
-
slang (usually imperative) to cease from
stow your noise!
stow it!
Stow
2
British
/ stəʊ /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
stowsimple
-
stowssimple
-
have stowedperfect
-
has stowedperfect
-
am stowingprogressive
-
are stowingprogressive
-
is stowingprogressive
-
have been stowingperfect progressive
-
has been stowingperfect progressive
Past
-
stowedsimple
-
had stowedperfect
-
was stowingprogressive
-
were stowingprogressive
-
had been stowingperfect progressive
Future
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)
Explanation
When you stow something, you store it or pack it away neatly. If you move into a tiny college dorm room, you might have to stow your shoes under the bed. On an airplane, you are only allowed to bring small suitcases that you can stow in the overhead bins or under the seat in front of you. In an adventure novel, pirates might stow their treasure in a seaside cave. In Old English, stow was a noun, meaning "a place or spot."
Vocabulary lists containing stow
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
She arranges for Paddington to stow away on a cargo ship to England and tells him to write to her at the Home for Retired Bears.
From Salon • Jan. 20, 2025
This travel umbrella, which comes in a matching case, is small enough to stow in the car en route to an Academy Awards party.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 3, 2024
Flights do not include "trolley bags" to stow in overhead compartments or checked baggage.
From BBC • Aug. 16, 2024
"Unload the probe and stow the supplies. I'm going to help Beck and Vogel de-suit."
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
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.
