stuff
stuff [stuff stuffs stuffed stuffing] noun, verb BrE [stʌf] NAmE [stʌf]
noun uncountable
1. (informal, sometimes disapproving)used to refer to a substance, material, group of objects, etc. when you do not know the name, when the name is not important or when it is obvious what you are talking about
• What's all that sticky stuff on the carpet?
• The chairs were covered in some sort of plastic stuff.
•This wine is good stuff.
• (disapproving)I don't know how you can eat that stuff!
•They sell stationery and stuff (like that).
•Where's all my stuff (= my possessions)?
• (disapproving)Could you move all that stuff off the table?
see also ↑foodstuff
2. (informal)used to refer in a general way to things that people do, say, think, etc
• I've got loads of stuff to do today.
• I like reading and stuff.
•The band did some great stuff on their first album.
•This is all good stuff. Well done!
•What's all this ‘Mrs Smith’ stuff? Call me Anna.
•I don't believe in all that stuff about ghosts.
3. ~ (of sth) (formal or literary)the most important feature of sth; something that sth else is based on or is made from
•The trip was magical; the stuff of which dreams are made.
•Parades and marches were the very stuff of politics in the region.
•Let's see what stuff you're made of (= what sort of person you are).
see also ↑hot stuff
more at kid's stuff at ↑kid n., know your stuff at ↑know v., be made of sterner stuff at ↑stern adj., strut your stuff at ↑strut v., don't sweat the small stuff at ↑sweat v.
Word Origin:
Middle English (denoting material for making clothes): shortening of Old French estoffe ‘material, furniture’, estoffer ‘equip, furnish’, from Greek stuphein ‘draw together’.
Synonyms:
things
stuff • property • possessions • junk • belongings • goods • valuables
These are all words for objects or items, especially ones that you own or have with you at a particular time.
things • (rather informal) objects, clothing or tools that you own or that are used for a particular purpose: ▪ Shall I help you pack your things? ◇ ▪ Bring your swimming things.
stuff • [U] (informal) used to refer to a group of objects when you do not know their names, when the names are not important or when it is obvious what you are talking about: ▪ Where's all my stuff?
property • [U] (rather formal) a thing or things that are owned by sb: ▪ This building is government property. ◇ ▪ Be careful not to damage other people's property.
possessions • things that you own, especially sth that can be moved: ▪ Prisoners were allowed no personal possessions except letters and photographs.
junk • [U] things that are considered useless or of little value: ▪ I've cleared out all that old junk from the attic.
belongings • possessions that can be moved, especially ones that you have with you at a particular time: ▪ Please make sure you have all your belongings with you when leaving the plane.
goods • (technical or rather formal) possessions that can be moved: ▪ He was found guilty of ▪ handling stolen goods ▪.
valuables • things that are worth a lot of money, especially small personal things such as jewellery or cameras: ▪ Never leave cash or other valuables lying around.
personal things/stuff/property/possessions/belongings
to collect/gather/pack (up) your things/stuff/possessions/belongings
to search sb's/your/the things/stuff/property/belongings
to go through sb's/your/the things/stuff/belongings
Example Bank:
•I don't believe in all that stuff about ghosts.
•I don't know how you can eat that stuff.
•I like reading and stuff.
•I've got loads of stuff to do today.
•Let's see what stuff you're made of.
•They sell stationery and stuff (like that).
•This is all good stuff. Well done!
•What's all that sticky stuff on the carpet?
•What's all this ‘Mrs Smith’ stuff? Call me Anna.
•Where's all my stuff?
Idioms: ↑do your stuff ▪ ↑get stuffed ▪ ↑not give a stuff ▪ ↑stuff and nonsense ▪ ↑stuff it ▪ ↑you can stuff something
verb
1. to fill a space or container tightly with sth
•~ A with B She had 500 envelopes to stuff with leaflets.
•~ B in, into, under, etc. A She had 500 leaflets to stuff into envelopes.
•~ sth The fridge is stuffed to bursting.
•~ sth + adj. All the drawers were stuffed full of letters and papers.
2. ~ sth + adv./prep. to push sth quickly and carelessly into a small space
Syn: ↑shove
•She stuffed the money under a cushion.
•His hands were stuffed in his pockets.
•Robyn quickly stuffed clothes into an overnight bag.
3. ~ sth to fill a vegetable, chicken, etc. with another type of food
•Are you going to stuff the turkey?
•stuffed peppers
4. (informal)to eat a lot of food or too much food; to give sb a lot or too much to eat
•~ sb/yourself He sat at the table stuffing himself.
•~ sb/yourself with sth Don't stuff the kids with chocolate before their dinner.
•~ your face We stuffed our faces at the party.
5. usually passive ~ sth to fill the dead body of an animal with material and preserve it, so that it keeps its original shape and appearance
•They had had their pet dog stuffed.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
Middle English (denoting material for making clothes): shortening of Old French estoffe ‘material, furniture’, estoffer ‘equip, furnish’, from Greek stuphein ‘draw together’.
Example Bank:
•He hastily stuffed a few clothes into a bag.
•He was stuffing his face full of chocolate.
•Her briefcase was stuffed full of papers.
•She stuffed her case with presents for the kids.
•The police found the money that she'd stuffed down her dress.
•The room was stuffed to the gills with trophies.
•Don't stuff the kids with chocolate before their dinner.
•My nose is stuffed up.
•She stuffed the money under the pillow.
•The closet was stuffed to bursting.
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