■ noun
1》 matter, material, articles, or activities of a specified or indeterminate kind.
↘ informal alcoholic drink or drugs.
↘( one's ~ ) one's area of expertise.
2》 basic characteristics; substance: Healey was made of sterner ~.
3》 Brit. dated woollen fabric, especially as distinct from silk, cotton, and linen.
4》 N. Amer. (in sport) spin given to a ball.
5》 Brit. informal, dated nonsense; rubbish.
■ verb
1》 fill tightly with something.
↘force tightly into a receptacle or space.
↘fill out the skin of (a dead animal or bird) with material to restore the original shape and appearance.
↘push hastily into a space.
↘( be ~ed up ) informal have one's nose blocked up with catarrh.
↘ informal fill (oneself) with large amounts of food.
2》 [usu. in imperative ] Brit. informal used to express indifference or rejection.
3》 Brit. informal defeat heavily in sport.
4》 Brit. vulgar slang (of a man) have sex with.
5》 N. Amer. place bogus votes in (a ballot box).
Phrases
get ~ed [usu. in imperative ] Brit. informal said to express dismissal or contempt.
that's the ~ Brit. informal that is good or what is needed.
Derivatives
-~er noun
Origin
ME: shortening of OFr. estoffe 'material, furniture', estoffer 'equip, furnish', from Gk stuphein 'draw together'.