stack

A group of similar things placed one on top of another.

• Put the plates in a stack.
• He carried two stacks of books.
• Is that stack of boxes yours?

How to use it: a stack of something (A stack of papers covered her desk.)

Similar words: pile

Common phrases: stack of books, stack of plates, neat stack

A large amount of something.

• That car cost a stack of money.
• I've got stacks of work to finish.
• She earned a stack of cash last month.

How to use it: a stack of something (They spent a stack of money on the wedding.)

Similar words: a lot, loads, a great deal

Common phrases: stack of money, stack of work, stack of cash

An area of computer memory holding temporary data for running functions, with the newest data removed first.

• The function stores its return address on the stack.
• Too many nested calls can cause a stack overflow.
• The debugger showed the current call stack.

Similar words: call stack

Common phrases: call stack, stack pointer, stack overflow

To put things one on top of another in a pile.

• Stack the plates here.
• We stacked the boxes beside the door.
• Can these chairs be stacked?

How to use it: stack something on something (She stacked the bowls on the shelf.)

Similar words: pile, pile up

Opposites: unstack

Common phrases: stack the boxes, stack something up, stack the plates, stack the chairs

To arrange a group or situation unfairly so that one side has an advantage.

• They stacked the jury with loyal supporters.
• The odds are stacked against small businesses.
• Did the chair stack the committee in her favor?

How to use it: stack something with someone (They stacked the committee with their supporters.); be stacked against someone (The odds were stacked against us.); stack something in someone's favor (The rules stack the odds in the owner's favor.)

Similar words: rig, fix

Common phrases: stack the deck, stack a committee, stack the odds