I. ˈstō verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English stowen, from stowe, n., place, from Old English stōw; akin to Old Frisian stō place, Old High German stouwen to complain, accuse, command, Old Norse eld stō hearth, Gothic stojan to judge, Greek stylos pillar — more at steer
transitive verb
1.
a. obsolete : to put in a particular spot : place
his eye had stowed her in his heart — William Warner
b. : to find at least temporary quarters for : house , lodge
stowed the patient in the hospital emergency room
2. obsolete : to put to use : bestow , spend
there stows his treasure — Edward Young
3.
a. : to put away : keep in reserve : store
small buildings where fishermen stowed their gear — S.T.Williamson
grabs the sheep and stows it in the tucker-bag — William Power
— often used with away
taking his hat off, and wiping his head with the handkerchief stowed away in its crown — Mary S. Broome
b. obsolete : to lock up for safekeeping : confine
the mariners all under hatches stowed — Shakespeare
c. : to roll up (a sail) : furl
stow the jib
4.
a. : to dispose in an orderly fashion : arrange , pack
the cargo was stowed in a thoroughly workmanlike … manner — F.W.Crofts
went on stowing cigarettes on the shelf — David Ballantyne
b. : to fill with cargo : load
six warships … stowed to the hatches with scientific gear — Julian Dana
5. slang : to put aside : save for another time
those … not asking questions told those who were to stow it, and give the lieutenant a chance — Frances & Richard Lockridge
6.
a. archaic : to fill with contents : crowd
compared his mind to the magazine of a pawnbroker, stowed with goods of every description — Sir Walter Scott
b. : to cram in (food) — usually used with away
the more of this heavenly food you can stow away, the more you are admired — Hugh Cave
c. : to fill up (as a stope) with waste
intransitive verb
: to fit into a storage space : pack , store
a stout rope ladder … which stows neatly in a box on the floor — P.W.Kearney
the anchor stows at the hawsepipe — A.M.Knight
Synonyms: see set
II. ˈstü, ˈstau̇ transitive verb
Etymology: origin unknown
Scot & dialect England : cut , crop , trim
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: by alteration
obsolete : stove
IV. ˈstō noun
( -s )
Etymology: by shortening
: stowbord
V. abbreviation
stowage