stack

stack¹ [stæk] n

[Date: 1200-1300; : Old Norse; Origin: stakkr]

1.)

a neat pile of things

→↑heap stack of

▪ a stack of papers

▪ stacks of dirty dishes

2.) a stack of sth/stacks of sth

informal especially BrE a large amount of something

▪ He's got stacks of money.

3.)

a chimney

4.) the stacks [plural]

the rows of shelves in a library where the books are kept

→blow your top/stack at ↑blow¹ (16)

stack ²

stack² v

1.) also stack up [I and T]

to make things into a neat pile, or to form a neat pile

▪ The assistants price the items and stack them on the shelves.

▪ a stacking hi-fi system

2.) [T usually passive]

to put neat piles of things on something

▪ He went back to stacking the shelves.

be stacked with sth

▪ The floor was stacked with boxes.

3.) the odds/cards are stacked against sb

used to say that someone is unlikely to be successful

4.) stack the cards

BrE stack the deck AmE informal to arrange cards dishonestly in a game

stack up phr v

1.) stack sth<=>up

to make things into a neat pile

2.) informal used to talk about how good something is compared with something else

stack up against

▪ Parents want to know how their kids' schools stack up against others.

3.) if a number of things stack up, they gradually collect or get stuck in one place

▪ Traffic stacked up behind the bus.