From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishstuffstuff1 /stʌf/ ●●● S1 W3 noun [uncountable] 1 things informalSUBSTANCE used when you are talking about things such as substances, materials, or groups of objects when you do not know what they are called, or it is not important to say exactly what they are I’ve got some sticky stuff on my shoe. How do you think you’re going to fit all that stuff into the car? I felt sorry for the ones who had to eat the awful stuff. Where’s all the camping stuff?2 → somebody’s stuff3 activities/ideas informal used when talking about different activities, subjects, or ideas, when you do not say exactly what these are What kind of stuff do you like to read? I’ve got so much stuff to do this weekend. There’s a lot of interesting stuff in this book. He’s talked to me about all that stuff too. He does mountain biking and skiing, and stuff like that.4 work/art informal used when you are talking about what someone has done or made, for example writing, music, or art I don’t like his stuff. John Lee was getting ready to play his stuff. He did some great stuff in his early films.good stuff British English (=used to tell someone that their work is good) This is good stuff.5 → ... and stuff6 → the (very) stuff of dreams/life/politics7 characterCHARACTER/PERSONALITY the qualities of someone’s character Does he have the right stuff (=qualities that make you able to deal with difficulties)? Surely you’re not going to give up? I thought you were made of sterner stuff (=were more determined).8 → do/show your stuff → bit of stuff at bit1(14), → kid’s stuff at kid1(4), → know your stuff at know1(5), → strut your stuff at strut1(2)GRAMMAR: Comparisonstuff• Stuff is an uncountable noun and is not used in the plural. You say: The shop sells all kinds of stuff. ✗Don’t say: The shop sells all kind of stuffs.foodstuff• Foodstuff is a countable noun and is often used in the plural: The country has to import basic foodstuffs such as rice.
Examples from the Corpus
stuff• But now she's all married and stuff.• We had some spare time, so we started messing around with samples and sequencers and stuff.• Our camping stuff alone took up most of the space in the back of the car.• So you only send non-confidential stuff that way.• Gore needs to maintain an impression that all of this is everyday, normal stuff.• They sent me a bunch of stuff about the university.• What kind of stuff did they teach you there?• Do you have any of that clear plastic stuff to cover food with?• I've got some sort of sticky stuff on my shoe.• What's that sticky stuff on the floor?• There were 2 attacks early on, but it takes stronger stuff than this to beat Grimsby.• Ted had never talked like this, filler talk, stuff you say when you are getting used to having a visitor.• That stuff stinks.• The builders have left all their stuff round the back of the house.• I don't know how we're going to get all this stuff into the car.• You're not going to have a lot of time to pack up your stuff before you move.all that stuff• Matches the description, right age and all that stuff.• They bought fur coats and all that stuff.• I suppose he thought poetry was about love and metaphysics and all that stuff.• What could be worse than to be dogged by all that stuff?• You couldn't get a regular parrot to do all that stuff.• You don't believe in all that stuff.• You told me all that stuff about your wife being unfaithful.• But after a while, the sight of all that stuff was more than he could bear so he looked away.good stuff• This is mostly mainstream, hit radio, but good stuff that still crosses over.• You just can't level the same accusation at Rickenbacker, since they've always made good stuff.• I felt it was pretty good stuff.• And this band were just getting encore after f***ing encore; it was really good stuff, a real grunge-fest.• It would be my turn to get the good stuff.• Now I get inta the good stuff.• One capsule of the good stuff can be split into several capsules and mixed with assorted cutting agents.• She knows where the good stuff is.the right stuff• He had attitude, the right stuff, like a nineteenth-century beatnik.• Becky's got the right stuff for becoming a good doctor.• I became one of the elite, one who had the Right Stuff.• This guy Powell has the right stuff.• If in doubt see if it melts with heat, then you are sure you have the right stuff.• Scarcity value apart, the Stag is made of the right stuff by classic yardsticks.• Now it's the turn of the attack to show it's made of the right stuff.• Often the right stuff is buried under an avalanche of garbage.• Switching on the overdrive channel, however, gave immediate access to the right stuff.stuffstuff2 ●●○ verb [transitive] 1 push [always + adverb/preposition]PUSH to push or put something into a small space, especially in a quick careless way SYN shovestuff something into/in/up something She stuffed two more sweaters into her bag.► see thesaurus at push2 fillFULL to fill something until it is full Volunteers were busy stuffing envelopes.be stuffed with something a pillow stuffed with feathers boxes stuffed full of papers► see thesaurus at fill3 foodDFC to fill a chicken, pepper etc with a mixture of bread or rice, onion etc before cooking it4 dead animalTIC to fill the skin of a dead animal in order to make the animal look still alive a stuffed owl5 → stuff yourself6 → get stuffed7 → somebody can stuff something8 → stuff it→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
stuff• After all, peacock feathers still shine brightly when their owner is dead and stuffed.• Life, for me, is certainly not too short to stuff a mushroom.• We had to stuff envelopes with letters and information packs.• I stuffed my shirt tail back into my trousers and tried to straighten my tie.• She hurriedly stuffed some things into an overnight bag and left.• Could you help me stuff these peppers?• He had the fish stuffed to put on the wall in his office.be stuffed with something• The rooms are stuffed with antiques and priceless treasures.• A good museum in the castle is stuffed with antiquities, while a Roman amphitheatre overlooks all.• My files are stuffed with my imaginings, published and unpublished.• PTAs up and down the country are stuffed with people like her.• Pretty soon our whole world is stuffed with rude people and their rude hair, and the world itself has changed.• Also hard-hit are supposedly diversified mutual funds that are stuffed with technology and other highflying small stocks.• Its boot was stuffed with the holdalls of the kidnappers and had no room left.• It was stuffed with those green pads, like house-movers use.Origin stuff1 (1300-1400) Old French estoffe, from estoffer “to provide with things needed” 