[stack] n [ME stak, fr. ON stakkr; akin to Russ stog stack and prob. to OE staca stake] (14c) 1: a large usu. conical pile (as of hay, straw, or grain in the sheaf) left standing in the field for storage
2. a: an orderly pile or heap b: a large quantity or number
3: an English unit of measure esp. for firewood that is equal to 108 cubic feet
4. a: a number of flues embodied in one structure rising above a roof b: a vertical pipe (as to carry off smoke) c: the exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine
5: a structure of bookshelves for compact storage of books--usu. used in pl.
6: a pile of chips sold to or won by a poker player
7. a: a memory or a section of memory in a computer for temporary storage in which the last item stored is the first retrieved; also: a data structure that simulates a stack "a push-down ~" b: a computer memory consisting of arrays of memory elements stacked one on top of another
[2]stack vt (14c) 1 a: to arrange in a stack: pile b: to pile in or on "~ed the table with books" "~ the dishwasher"
2. a: to arrange secretly for cheating "~ a deck of cards" b: to arrange or fix so as to make a particular result likely "the odds are ~ed against us" "will ~ juries to suit themselves --Patrice Horn" 3 a: to assign (an airplane) by radio to a particular altitude and position within a group circling before landing b: to put into a waiting line "another dozen rigs are ~ed up and waiting --P. H. Hutchins, Jr."
4: compare--used with against "such a crime is nothing when ~ed against a murder --Pete Censky" ~ vi: to form a stack -- stack.er n