[stoh] 
,| 1. | Nautical.
|
| 2. | to put in a place or receptacle, as for storage or reserve; pack: He stowed the potatoes in our cellar. |
| 3. | to fill (a place or receptacle) by packing: to stow a carton with books. |
| 4. | to have or afford room for; hold. |
| 5. | Slang. to stop; break off: Stow it! Stow the talk! |
| 6. | to put away, as in a safe or convenient place (often fol. by away). |
| 7. | to lodge or quarter. |
| 8. | stow away, to conceal oneself aboard a ship or other conveyance in order to obtain free transportation or to elude pursuers. |
| stow (stō) tr.v. stowed, stow·ing, stows
stow away
[Middle English stowen, from stowe, place, from Old English stōw; see stā- in Indo-European roots.] stow'a·ble adj. |
stow away
Put aside or store something until needed, as in We generally stow away the lawn furniture in the toolshed. [Late 1700s]
Hide oneself aboard ship or in a vehicle in order to get free transportation, as in The youngsters planned to stow away on a freighter but they never even got to the waterfront. This usage gave rise to the noun stowaway. [Mid-1800s]
Greedily consume food or drink, as in Bob sure can stow away a lot in a short time. [Colloquial; mid-1800s]