What Does โStow sth awayโ Mean?
โStow sth awayโ means to put something in a safe or hidden place, usually for future use or storage.
Introduction
The phrasal verb โstow sth awayโ is commonly used in everyday English when talking about carefully putting items away. Understanding the stow sth away meaning helps learners talk about storing or hiding things properly. It is useful in many situations, like packing for a trip, organizing your home, or hiding valuables. Knowing how to use this phrase correctly will make your English sound natural and clear.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: stow something away
- Type: transitive
- Level: B1
- Short meaning: to store something safely or secretly
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โStow awayโ is a separable phrasal verb when used with an object.
- You can say: stow something away
- Or: stow away something
Both forms are correct, but โstow something awayโ is more common.
How to Use Stow sth away?
Use โstow sth awayโ when you want to express putting an item in a safe or hidden place. It often refers to packing or storing something carefully. It can also mean hiding money or valuables secretly. The object (something) is necessary because the verb is transitive.
Examples of contexts include travel (stowing luggage), saving money (stowing cash away), or organizing (stowing tools away).
Examples
Imagine you are packing your suitcase for a trip. You might say:
- I stowed my clothes away in the suitcase.
- She stowed away the important documents before leaving.
- The sailors stowed the cargo away carefully on the ship.
- He stowed some money away for emergencies.
- We need to stow away the camping gear before the rain starts.
These examples show โstow sth awayโ in natural, everyday sentences.
Common Mistakes
People sometimes confuse the order of the words or forget the object. For example:
- Incorrect: *She stowed away quickly.* (No object, changes meaning)
- Correct: She stowed her bags away quickly.
- Incorrect: *He stowed away money.* (Means sneaking away secretly)
- Correct: He stowed some money away for later.
Remember, โstow awayโ without an object can mean to hide secretly on a ship or plane, which is different.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include:
- Put away: means to place something back in its usual place. Less about hiding, more about tidying.
- Pack away: means to pack and store items carefully, often for travel.
- Stash away: means to hide or save something secretly, especially money.
โStow sth awayโ usually focuses on careful storage or hiding with a sense of safety or order.
Common Collocations
Here are some common objects used with โstow awayโ:
- Luggage: suitcases or bags put into storage or a vehicle
- Money: cash saved secretly
- Supplies: food, tools, or equipment stored for later use
- Documents: papers stored safely
- Gear: equipment used for sport or travel
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using โstow sth awayโ:
Anna: Where should I put these extra blankets?
Tom: You can stow them away in the closet. Thereโs plenty of space.
Anna: Great! Iโll stow them away now so the room looks tidy.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of โstow sth awayโ:
- He _______ his suitcase _______ before boarding the plane.
- We need to _______ the camping gear _______ before the storm.
- She _______ some money _______ for her holiday.
FAQ
- What does โstow sth awayโ mean? It means to put something safely or secretly in a place for storage.
- Is โstow awayโ separable? Yes, you can say โstow something awayโ or โstow away something.โ
- Can โstow awayโ be used without an object? Yes, but then it means to hide secretly on a ship or plane.
- What is the difference between โstow awayโ and โput awayโ? โStow awayโ implies safe or secret storage, while โput awayโ means tidying or returning something to its place.
- Is โstow sth awayโ formal or informal? It is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
