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pack away

A2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

Put things into a box, bag, or cupboard when you are finished using them.

Literal meaning: To pack something so that it goes away (into storage).

Meanings

1 A2 neutral

To place items into a container, cupboard, or storage space after use, often by folding or arranging them.

"After the holidays, we packed away all the Christmas decorations into labelled boxes."

Grammar: separable
2 B1 idiomatic informal

(Informal) To eat a large quantity of food, often surprisingly so for one's size.

"I can't believe how much he packed away at the buffet — he had four plates!"

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Common in British and American English. Often used for seasonal items (e.g. Christmas decorations, summer clothes). Also used informally to mean eating a large amount of food.

Commonly used with

decorations clothes toys equipment food tools

Forms

Base
pack away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
packs away
he/she/it
Past simple
packed away
yesterday
Past participle
packed away
have + pp
-ing form
packing away
continuous

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Synonyms

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