stow

¹

[stoh]

verb (used with object)

1. Nautical.

   1. to put (cargo, provisions, etc.) in the places intended for them.

   2. to put (sails, spars, gear, etc.) in the proper place or condition when not in use.

2. to put in a place or receptacle, as for storage or reserve; pack.

   He stowed the potatoes in our cellar.

3. to fill (a place or receptacle) by packing.

   to stow a carton with books.

4. to have or afford room for; hold.

5. Slang.,  to stop; break off.

   Stow it! Stow the talk!

6. to put away, as in a safe or convenient place (often followed byaway ).

7. to lodge or quarter.

verb phrase

1. stow away,  to conceal oneself aboard a ship or other conveyance in order to obtain free transportation or to elude pursuers.

Stow

²

[stoh]

noun

1. a city in NE Ohio.

stow

¹

/ stəʊ /

verb

1. (often foll by away) to pack or store

2. to fill by packing

3. nautical to pack or put away (cargo, sails and other gear, etc)

4. to have enough room for

5. slang,  (usually imperative) to cease from

   stow your noise!

   stow it!

Stow

²

/ stəʊ /

noun

1. John. 1525–1605, English antiquary, noted for his Survey of London and Westminster (1598; 1603)

Other Word Forms

• stowable adjective
• restow verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of stow¹

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)

Word History and Origins

Origin of stow¹

Old English stōwian to keep, hold back, from stōw a place; related to Old High German stouwen to accuse, Gothic stōjan to judge, Old Slavonic staviti to place

Example Sentences

When customer orders come in, robots pick merchandise out of a grid system where goods are stowed, and bring the items to workers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A commercial passenger flight operated by Air China was safely diverted to Shanghai on Saturday after a battery stowed in a passenger's carry-on luggage caught fire, the airline said.

Read more on Barron's

Suppose he can confirm the man stowed in a box in the back of his van is Peg Leg—is he really committed to murdering him?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

She stows a small knitted figurine of legendary England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, made for her by a friend's grandmother when Aldcroft was a teenager, in her kit bag for every game.

Read more on BBC

They stowed away most of their jewelry into a safe just after 2 p.m., according to relatives.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• put away 
• secrete 
• stash 
• tuck