stack

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 [C] a pile of sth, usually neatly arranged: a stack of plates / books * a stack hi-fi system (= where radio, CD player, etc. are arranged on top of each other) seealsoHAYSTACK 2 [C] ~ (of sth) (informal, especially BrE) a large number or amount of sth; a lot of sth: stacks of money * There's a stack of unopened mail waiting for you at the house. * I've got stacks of work to do. 3 [C] a tall chimney, especially on a factory seealsoCHIMNEYSTACK, SMOKESTACK 4 (the stacks) [pl.] the part of a library, sometimes not open to the public, where books that are not often needed are stored: The books you need will have to be brought up from the stacks. 5 [C] (computing) a way of storing information in a computer in which the most recently stored item is the first to be RETRIEVED (= found or got back) IDIOMS see BLOWv. verb 1 ~ (sth) (up) to arrange objects neatly in a pile; to be arranged in this way: [VN] to stack plates / boxes * Logs stacked up against a wall. * [V] Do these chairs stack? * stacking chairs 2 [VN] ~ sth (with sth) to fill sth with piles of things: They were busy stacking the shelves with goods. 3 [V, VN] ~ (sth) (up) if aircraft stack (up) or are stacked (up) over an airport, there are several flying around waiting for their turn to land PHRASALVERBS stack up 1 to keep increasing in quantity until there is a large pile, a long line, etc: Cars quickly stacked up behind the bus. * During the strike, refuse has been stacking up in the streets. 2 ~ (against sb/sth) (informal) to compare to sb/sth else: Let's try him in the team and see how he stacks up. * This year's figures didn't stack up to those of 1999 (= they were not as good).