- 1 [countable] (especially North American English) a container, usually made of paper, that holds a number of the same thing or an amount of something, ready to be sold a pack of cigarettes/gum You can buy the envelopes in packs of ten. compare package, packet see also flat-pack, six-pack Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivecigarette, blister, gift, … pack + verbcontain something prepositionin a/the pack, pack of See full entry set
- 2 [countable] a set of different things that are supplied together for a particular purpose Send for your free information pack today. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveaction, information, resource, … pack + verbcontain something, include something See full entry things tied for carrying
- 3[countable] a number of things that are wrapped or tied together, especially for carrying donkeys carrying packs of wool (figurative) Everything she told us is a pack of lies (= a story that is completely false). Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveheavy, fanny, battery, … verb + packcarry, sling pack + nounanimal, horse, mule, … prepositionin a/the pack See full entry large bag
- 4[countable] a large bag that you carry on your back We passed a group of walkers, carrying huge packs. see also backpack, fanny pack Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveheavy, fanny, battery, … verb + packcarry, sling pack + nounanimal, horse, mule, … prepositionin a/the pack See full entry of animals
- 5[countable + singular or plural verb] a group of animals that hunt together or are kept for hunting packs of savage dogs wolves hunting in packs a pack of hounds Wordfinderhuntchase, falconry, game, hunt, open season, pack, poach, prey, safari, trail Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivewolf, hunting, brat, … verb + packlead pack + nouninstinct prepositionin a/the pack, in packs, pack of, … phrasesthe leader of the pack See full entry See related entries: Groups of animals of people
- 6[countable + singular or plural verb] a group of similar people or things, especially one that you do not like or approve of We avoided a pack of journalists waiting outside. He's the leader of the pack. Of all the newspapers, this one is the worst of the pack. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivewolf, hunting, brat, … verb + packlead pack + nouninstinct prepositionin a/the pack, in packs, pack of, … phrasesthe leader of the pack See full entry
- 7[countable + singular or plural verb] all the people who are behind the leaders in a race, competition, etc. measures aimed at keeping the company ahead of the pack See related entries: Athletics of cards
- 8(especially British English) (also deck North American English, British English) [countable] a complete set of 52 playing cards a pack of cards During the earthquake, buildings collapsed like a pack of cards. Oxford Collocations Dictionary verb + packshuffle, cut prepositionin a/the pack phrasesthe bottom of the pack, the top of the pack, a pack of cards, … See full entry See related entries: Card games of Cubs/Brownies
- 9[countable + singular or plural verb] an organized group of cubs / Cub Scouts or brownies to join a Brownie pack for wound
- 10[countable] a hot or cold piece of soft material that absorbs liquid, used for treating a wound see also face pack, ice pack, mud pack See related entries: Medication Word OriginMiddle English: from Middle Dutch, Middle Low German pak (noun), pakken (verb). The verb appears appears early in Anglo-Latin and Anglo-Norman French in connection with the wool trade; trade in English wool was chiefly with the Low Countries.Extra examples It comes in packs of six. Take a card from the top of the pack. The animals hunt in packs. The water in his pack made it very heavy. There are 52 playing cards in a pack. Your information pack includes addresses of leading manufacturers. a pack of cigarettes a pack of dogs/wolves a rechargeable battery pack the dominant animal in the pack Killer whales hunt in packs, as do wolves. Of all the newspapers, this one is the worst of the pack. Packs of savage dogs roamed the hills. They have kept a pack of hounds on the estate for decades. You can buy the disks in packs of ten.Idioms
noun jump to other results
BrE BrE//pæk//; NAmE NAmE//pæk//
Groups of animals, Athletics, Card games, Medication
a person or thing who could change the way that things will happen in a way that cannot be predicted
Check pronunciation: pack
