n. & v.
--n.
1. the material that a thing is made of; material that may be used for some purpose.
2 a substance or things or belongings of an indeterminate kind or a quality not needing to be specified (there's a lot of stuff about it in the newspapers).
3 a particular knowledge or activity (know one's stuff).
4 woollen fabric (esp. as distinct from silk, cotton, and linen).
5 valueless matter, trash, refuse, nonsense (take that stuff away).
6 (prec. by the) a colloq. an available supply of something, esp. drink or drugs. b sl. money.
--v.
1. tr. pack (a receptacle) tightly (stuff a cushion with feathers; a head stuffed with weird notions).
2 tr. (foll. by in, into) force or cram (a thing) (stuffed the socks in the drawer).
3 tr. fill out the skin of (an animal or bird etc.) with material to restore the original shape (a stuffed owl).
4 tr. fill (poultry etc.) with a savoury or sweet mixture, esp. before cooking.
5 a tr. & refl. fill (a person or oneself) with food. b tr. & intr. eat greedily.
6 tr. push, esp. hastily or clumsily (stuffed the note behind the cushion).
7 tr. (usu. in passive; foll. by up) block up (a person's nose etc.).
8 tr. sl. (esp. as an expression of contemptuous dismissal) dispose of as unwanted (you can stuff the job).
9 tr. US place bogus votes in (a ballot-box).
10 tr. coarse sl. offens. have sexual intercourse with (a woman).
Phrases and idioms:
bit of stuff sl. offens. a woman regarded as an object of sexual desire. do one's stuff colloq. do what one has to. get stuffed sl. an exclamation of dismissal, contempt, etc. stuff and nonsense an exclamation of incredulity or ridicule. stuffed shirt colloq. a pompous person. stuff gown Brit. a gown worn by a barrister who has not taken silk. stuff it sl. an expression of rejection or disdain. that's the stuff colloq. that is what is wanted.
Derivatives:
stuffer n. (also in comb.).
Etymology: ME stoffe f. OF estoffe (n.), estoffer (v.) equip, furnish f. Gk stupho draw together