Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - pack

~1 v 1 »IN BOXES, CASES ETC« also pack up to put things into cases, boxes etc for taking somewhere or storing  (I forgot to pack my razor. | They packed up the contents of their house. | We're off to Greece tomorrow and I haven't even started packing yet. | pack sb sth)  (Have you packed the kids a lunch?) 2 pack a bag/case etc to put things into a bag, case etc  (She packed her suitcase and headed for the airport.)  (- opposite unpack (1)) 3 »CROWD OF PEOPLE« I always + adv/prep, T always + adv/prep to go in large numbers into a space that is not big enough, or to make a lot of people or things do this + into/in/onto  (When the door was opened people began to pack into the hall. | They packed as many people as possible onto the bus.) 4 »PROTECT STH« to cover, fill, or surround an object closely with a protective material  (Pack the newspaper around the china so that it doesn't break.) + in/with  (china cups packed with paper) 5 pack your bags informal to leave a place and not return, especially because of a disagreement  (Why don't you pack your bags and find another job?) 6 »SNOW/SOIL ETC« to press soil, sand etc into a firm mass  (pack soil firmly around the stem) 7 »MEAT ETC« to prepare food and put it into containers for preserving or selling 8 pack a committee/jury/meeting etc to secretly and dishonestly arrange for a committee etc to be filled with people who support you 9 pack a gun AmE to regularly carry a gun 10 pack a (hard) punch informal a) to be able to hit another person hard in a fight b) to be able to speak very effectively in an argument or discussion  (- see also send sb packing send (9)) pack sth away phr v to put something back in a box, case etc where it is usually kept  (We packed away the picnic things.) pack sb/sth in phr v 1 informal to attract people in large numbers  ("Pulp Fiction" is really packing them in.) 2 also pack sth into sth to fit a lot of something into a space, place, or period of time  (They packed so much into their holiday, they returned exhausted.) 3 informal especially BrE to stop doing something, especially a job that you find unpleasant or annoying  (At times like this I feel like packing it all in and going off travelling.) 4 pack it in spoken used to tell someone to stop doing something that is annoying you  (Pack it in you two. I'm tired of hearing you arguing.) 5 BrE informal to end a romantic relationship with someone pack sb/sth off phr v informal to send someone away quickly, to avoid trouble or because you want to get rid of them  (My parents packed us off to camp every summer.) pack up phr v 1 informal to finish work  (Business was slack and she packed up early.) 2 informal especially BrE if a machine packs up it stops working  (The engine's packed up!) 3 informal BrE to stop doing something such as a job  (He's packed up his job after only three months.) ~2 n 1 »THINGS WRAPPED TOGETHER« several things wrapped or tied together or put in a case, to make them easy to carry, sell, or give to someone  (Send away for your free information pack today.)  (- see also six­pack) 2 »SMALL CONTAINER« especially AmE a small container, usually made of paper, with a set of things in it  (packet (1) packet (2)) + of  (a pack of cigarettes | a pack of gum BrE) 3 »BAG« BrE a bag carried by a climber, walker, or soldier, that is fastened to their shoulders and is used to carry equipment, clothes etc 4 »ANIMALS« a group of wild animals that hunt together, or a group of dogs trained together for hunting  (a wolf pack | a pack of hounds) 5 »GROUP OF PEOPLE« a group of people who do something together, especially a group who you do not approve of  (a pack of thieves | the Hollywood brat pack) 6 »MILITARY« a group of aircraft, submarines, etc that fight the enemy together 7 be a pack of lies informal to be completely untrue  (Don't you believe what it says in the paper - it's a pack of lies.) 8 »CARDS« a complete set of playing cards  (Please shuffle the pack and deal.) 9 Cub/Brownie pack a group of children belonging to a children's organization  (- see Cub Scout, brownie) 10 »ON A WOUND« a thick mass of soft cloth that you press on a wound to stop the flow of blood  (compress2)  (- see also ice pack) 11 »BEAUTY« TREATMENT a substance, often a special mud or clay, that you put on your skin to make you feel better  (- see also face pack, mudpack)