stuff

stuff1 [ stʌf ] noun uncount INFORMAL ***

▸ 1 variety of things

▸ 2 material/substance

▸ 3 qualities/behavior

▸ 4 general information

▸ 5 nonsense

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) a variety of objects or things:

What's all this stuff on my desk?

By the time we got to the sale, all the good stuff was gone.

a ) the things that belong to a particular person or activity or in a particular place:

The school stuff goes on this shelf.

the tennis/kitchen/baking stuff

someone's stuff: Would you get your stuff out of here?

b ) things that are not important:

I'm telling him we don't want all that stupid stuff here.

2. ) the basic material or substance people use for making something:

The costumes were made of thin, gauzy stuff.

Wheat's the stuff they use to make spaghetti and cereal.

We need salad stuff.

a ) SPOKEN used for talking about a substance or material when you do not know the correct name:

What's that sticky stuff in your hair?

Get me some of that stuff for fixing windows.

3. ) qualities that are an important special part of something, for example a person's personality or experiences:

I think he has the right stuff for the job.

a ) qualities, activity, or behavior that are especially negative or upsetting:

There was a lot of bad stuff going on at that school.

=> STERN1

4. ) general information:

I already know all that stuff.

good stuff: They publish a lot of good stuff.

5. ) used for saying that what someone says or thinks is nonsense:

Rachel tried to give me that stuff about being ignored.

...and stuff (like that) SPOKEN

used for referring to things that are similar or related to the subject you are discussing:

We need some meat and stuff for dinner.

She wants us to smile more, and stuff like that.

do your stuff INFORMAL

1. ) to do what you have prepared to do:

Now get out there and do your stuff.

2. ) to behave in a way that is typical of you:

I watched him doing his stuff on the stage.

(the) hard stuff INFORMAL

strong alcohol and illegal drugs

know your stuff INFORMAL

to know a lot about something and be able to use your knowledge:

If you have any questions, John really knows his stuff.

the stuff of dreams/legends/nightmares etc.

the type of things that are usually found in dreams/stories etc.:

The pictures of the genocide were the stuff of nightmares.

stuff

stuff 2 [ stʌf ] verb transitive **

1. ) to push something soft into a space or container:

stuff something into something: Alice quickly stuffed her clothes into a suitcase and left.

2. ) to fill a container or space with something, especially something soft:

stuff something with something: It's cheaper to stuff the pillows with foam than with feathers.

a ) to fill meat or vegetables with small pieces of another type of food:

stuff something with something: We could stuff the pasta with cheese and vegetables.

b ) to fill a dead animal's skin so that it looks alive:

Dad had that big fish he caught stuffed.

stuff it MAINLY BRITISH IMPOLITE

used for telling someone you are very angry at them, and you are not interested in them or their suggestions

stuff yourself/your face

to fill yourself with food until you are not hungry or feel sick:

Every Christmas Louis stuffs himself.