I. stuff 1 S1 W3 /stʌf/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: estoffe , from estoffer 'to provide with things needed' ]
1 . THINGS informal used when you are talking about things such as substances, materials, or groups of objects when you do not know what they are called, or it is not important to say exactly what they are:
I’ve got some sticky stuff on my shoe.
How do you think you’re going to fit all that stuff into the car?
I felt sorry for the ones who had to eat the awful stuff.
Where’s all the camping stuff?
2 . sb’s stuff informal the things that belong to someone:
Did you get the rest of your stuff?
3 . ACTIVITIES/IDEAS informal used when talking about different activities, subjects, or ideas, when you do not say exactly what these are:
What kind of stuff do you like to read?
I’ve got so much stuff to do this weekend.
There’s a lot of interesting stuff in this book.
He’s talked to me about all that stuff too.
He does mountain biking and skiing, and stuff like that.
4 . WORK/ART informal used when you are talking about what someone has done or made, for example writing, music, or art:
I don’t like his stuff.
John Lee was getting ready to play his stuff.
He did some great stuff in his early films.
good stuff British English (=used to tell someone that their work is good)
This is good stuff.
5 . ... and stuff spoken informal used to say that there are other things similar to what you have just mentioned, but you are not going to say what they are:
There’s some very good music there, CD systems and stuff, and laser disks.
6 . the (very) stuff of dreams/life/politics exactly the kind of thing that dreams etc consist of:
an enchanting place – the very stuff of dreams
7 . CHARACTER the qualities of someone’s character:
Does he have the right stuff (=qualities that make you able to deal with difficulties) ?
Surely you’re not going to give up? I thought you were made of sterner stuff (=were more determined) .
8 . do/show your stuff informal to do what you are good at when everyone wants you to do it:
Come on Gina, get on the dance floor and do your stuff!
⇨ bit of stuff at ↑ bit 1 (14), ⇨ kid’s stuff at ↑ kid 1 (4), ⇨ know your stuff at ↑ know 1 (5), ⇨ strut your stuff at ↑ strut 1 (2)
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GRAMMAR
Stuff is an uncountable noun and has no plural form. Use a singular verb after it:
▪
Most of my stuff is still in packing cases.
II. stuff 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1 . PUSH [always + adverb/preposition] to push or put something into a small space, especially in a quick careless way SYN shove
stuff something into/in/up something
She stuffed two more sweaters into her bag.
2 . FILL to fill something until it is full:
Volunteers were busy stuffing envelopes.
be stuffed with something
a pillow stuffed with feathers
boxes stuffed full of papers
3 . FOOD to fill a chicken, pepper etc with a mixture of bread or rice, onion etc before cooking it
4 . DEAD ANIMAL to fill the skin of a dead animal in order to make the animal look still alive:
a stuffed owl
5 . stuff yourself ( also stuff your face ) informal to eat so much food that you cannot eat anything else
stuff yourself with
The kids have been stuffing themselves with candy.
6 . get stuffed British English spoken used to tell someone very rudely and angrily that you do not want to talk to them or accept their offer:
He only offered me £10 for it, so I told him to get stuffed.
7 . somebody can stuff something spoken used to say very angrily or rudely that you do not want what someone is offering:
‘All right. You can stuff your money!’ Reynolds exploded.
8 . stuff it spoken used to say angrily or rudely that you do not care about something or do not want something:
I thought, stuff it, I’ll do what I want.