/ wɒd; NAmE wɑːd/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a thick pile of pieces of paper, paper money, etc. folded or rolled together :
He pulled a thick wad of £10 notes out of his pocket.
( BrE , slang )
They had a wad / wads of money (= a large amount) .
2.
a mass of soft material, used for blocking sth or keeping sth in place :
The nurse used a wad of cotton wool to stop the bleeding.
■ verb ( -dd- ) [ vn ]
1.
wad sth (up) ( especially NAmE ) to fold or press sth into a tight wad
2.
to fill sth with soft material for warmth or protection
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (denoting wadding): perhaps related to Dutch watten , French ouate padding, cotton wool.