I. store 1 S1 W1 /stɔː $ stɔːr/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
1 . SHOP a place where goods are sold to the public. In British English, a store is large and sells many different things, but in American English, a store can be large or small, and sell many things or only one type of thing. ⇨ shop :
At Christmas the stores stay open late.
shoe/clothing/grocery etc store American English (=one that sells one type of goods)
She worked in a grocery store before going to college.
go to the store American English (=go to a store that sells food)
I need to go to the store for some milk.
⇨ ↑ chain store , ↑ department store , ↑ general store
2 . SUPPLY a supply of something that you keep to use later
store of
a store of wood
fat stores in the body (=that your body keeps)
3 . PLACE TO KEEP THINGS a large building in which goods are kept so they can be used or sold later:
a grain store
4 . in store (for somebody) if something unexpected such as a surprise or problem is in store for someone, it is about to happen to them:
There’s a real treat in store for you this Christmas!
As we left, I wondered what the future held in store.
5 . MILITARY stores [plural]
a) supplies of food and equipment that are used by an army, navy etc:
medical stores
b) the building or room in an army camp, ship etc where these are kept
6 . set great/considerable etc store by something to consider something to be important:
Patrick has never set much store by material things.
II. store 2 S3 W3 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: estorer 'to build, supply, store' , from Latin instaurare 'to make new, restore' ]
1 . to put things away and keep them until you need them
store something away/up
Squirrels are storing up nuts for the winter.
Store the beans in an airtight jar.
2 . to keep facts or information in your brain or a computer:
Standard letters can be stored on floppy discs.
3 . store up trouble/problems etc to behave in a way that will cause trouble for you later:
Smokers may be storing up disease for their unborn children.
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THESAURUS
▪ keep to leave something in one particular place so that you can find it easily:
Where do you keep the scissors?
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The keys are kept in my office.
▪ store to put things away and keep them until you need them:
Villagers have begun storing wood for the winter.
▪ save to keep something so that you can use or enjoy it in the future:
He had been saving the bottle of champagne for a special occasion.
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We can save the rest of the pie for later.
▪ file to store papers or information in a particular order or a particular place:
All the contracts are filed alphabetically.
▪ collect to get and keep objects of the same type because you think they are attractive or interesting:
Kate collects old postcards.
▪ hold to keep something to be used when it is needed, especially something that many different people may need to use:
Medical records are now usually held on computers.
▪ reserve formal to keep part of something for use at a later time during a process such as cooking:
Reserve some of the chocolate so that you can use it for decorating the cake.
▪ hoard to keep large amounts of food, money etc because you think you may not be able to get them in the future – used when you do not approve of people doing this because it is not necessary or not fair to other people:
People have been hoarding food and fuel in case there is another attack.
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Rationing of basic food products was introduced to prevent hoarding.