Stow

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /stoʊ/

Definitions

1. To pack or store items securely in a space to keep them safe ; to put objects away or arrange them carefully, especially for travel or shipment
2. To place belongings or goods safely and neatly to avoid damage ; to organize and store items with care when preparing for movement
3. To securely contain or hide things by packing them tightly ; to arrange and store articles methodically for ease of transport or storage

Etymology: The verb "stow" has a surprisingly modest ancestry: its root meaning is simply "place" or "location." Old English "stōw" meant a place, and the Proto-Germanic root behind it shares the idea of standing or placing something. Related words survive across the Germanic languages, including Dutch "stouw" meaning "place" and German "Stau," now used for a traffic jam, which preserves the older sense of something being held back or hemmed in. The verb grew out of that noun in a different direction. Old English "stōwian" meant "to hold back" or "restrain," and it was the ancestor of the sense of packing things into a confined space. Middle English later used forms like "stowen" and "stawen" with a similar sense of damming up or hemming in, so the modern idea of stowing a cargo or a suitcase away safely is a narrowing of a broader notion of placing and confining.

Synonyms: pack, store, load, stash, shelve

Antonyms: unpack, remove, discharge