n.
Pronunciation: ' st ə f
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French estuffes goods, from estuffer to fill in (with rubble), furnish, equip, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German stopf ō n to stop up, from Vulgar Latin *stuppare ― more at STOP
Date: 14th century
1 : materials, supplies, or equipment used in various activities: as a obsolete : military baggage b : PERSONAL PROPERTY
2 : material to be manufactured, wrought, or used in construction <clear half-inch pine stuff ― Emily Holt>
3 : a finished textile suitable for clothing especially : wool or worsted material
4 a : literary or artistic production b : writing, discourse, talk, or ideas of little value : TRASH
5 a : an unspecified material substance or aggregate of matter <volcanic rock is curious stuff > b : something (as a drug or food) consumed or introduced into the body by humans c : a matter to be considered <the truth was heady stuff > <long-term policy stuff > d : a group or scattering of miscellaneous objects or articles <pick that stuff up off the floor> also : nonphysical unspecified material <conservation and ⋯ all kinds of good stuff ― Eric Korn>
6 a : fundamental material : SUBSTANCE <the stuff of greatness> b : subject matter <a teacher who knows her stuff >
7 : special knowledge or capability <showing their stuff >
8 a : spin imparted to a thrown or hit ball to make it curve or change course b : the movement of a baseball pitch out of its apparent line of flight : the liveliness of a pitch <greatest pitcher of my time ⋯ had tremendous stuff ― Ted Williams>
9 : DUNK SHOT
– stuff · less adjective