# pack /ˈpæk/ (US) · /pˈæk/ (UK) Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pack Updated: 2026-08-15 ## Senses ### 1. to put items in a bag verb · CEFR A2 to put clothes and other things into a bag or suitcase for a trip. For teachers: to place items into a container, such as a suitcase or box, specifically for transport or storage. - I need to pack my bags tonight because my flight is early tomorrow. - She spent the afternoon packing her most fragile belongings into reinforced crates before the movers arrived. ### 2. to crowd together verb · CEFR B1 to fill a space with as many people or things as possible. For teachers: to crowd or compress people or objects into a restricted space. - Hundreds of fans packed the stadium to see the final game. - Commuters packed themselves into the narrow train carriage, leaving no room for latecomers to board. ### 3. a bag for the back noun · CEFR A2 a bag that you carry on your back, often for hiking or school. For teachers: a container or bundle designed to be carried on the back of a person or animal. - He carried a heavy pack filled with camping gear for the weekend trip. - The hikers adjusted their packs to distribute the weight more evenly before beginning the steep ascent. ### 4. a group of animals noun · CEFR B1 a group of animals that live and hunt together, like wolves or dogs. For teachers: a collective noun for a group of certain animals, typically canines, that hunt or live as a social unit. - The pack of wolves moved silently through the snowy forest. - Biologists tracked the pack for months to understand how the alpha pair maintained social order during the winter. ### 5. a small box of items noun · CEFR A2 a small container or paper box that holds a set of similar things. For teachers: a standard commercial unit or package containing a specific number of similar items. - He bought a pack of gum at the convenience store. - The recipe requires a full pack of butter, which is roughly two hundred and fifty grams. ### 6. playing cards noun · CEFR B1 · British English a full set of cards used for playing games. For teachers: a complete set of playing cards, typically consisting of fifty-two cards in a standard deck. - We sat down to play a game, but we couldn't find a full pack of cards. - He shuffled the pack with professional speed before dealing five cards to each player around the table. ### 7. a group of people noun · CEFR B2 · Informal a group of people who are similar or who work together, often in a bad way. For teachers: a group of people associated by a common interest or activity, often used with a negative or dismissive connotation. - A pack of reporters waited outside the courthouse for the celebrity to appear. - The politician dismissed the protesters as a pack of troublemakers who didn't represent the local community. ### 8. rugby players noun · CEFR B2 the group of players in a rugby team who play in the scrum. For teachers: the collective term for the forwards in a rugby team who participate in the scrum. - The team's pack was much stronger than their opponents' during the scrum. - The coach praised the pack for their discipline and physical presence, which allowed the backs to score three tries. ### 9. medical wrap noun · CEFR C1 · Technical a cloth or bandage used to wrap a part of the body to treat an injury. For teachers: a therapeutic wrap or dressing applied to the body, often involving heat or cold. - The doctor told him to put a cold pack on his swollen ankle. - The therapist applied a wet pack to the patient's lower back to alleviate the chronic muscle spasms. ## Examples - The wolves hunt together as a pack. - He opened a new pack of batteries to replace the ones in the remote control. - The lead cyclist managed to break away from the main pack during the final climb, securing a significant lead before the descent into the valley. --- From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.