Phrasal verb
stash away
Definition
phrasal verb. to hide something in a safe place so you can use it later. You usually do this with money or things you want to keep secret.
phrasal verb. to store or hide something away in a secure or secret location for future use. Transitive; often implies a degree of secrecy or the accumulation of a reserve.
Examples
“I stash away a little money every month for my holiday.”
“She stashed away the old letters in a shoebox at the back of her closet where no one would find them.”
“The whistleblower had stashed away copies of the incriminating documents in a safety deposit box long before the investigation began.”
Examples
simple
“I stash away a little money every month for my holiday.”
contextual
“She stashed away the old letters in a shoebox at the back of her closet where no one would find them.”
complex
“The whistleblower had stashed away copies of the incriminating documents in a safety deposit box long before the investigation began.”
Usage
takes a direct object, which can be placed between the verb and the particle.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'save' (neutral) and 'hoard' (negative/excessive); 'stash away' suggests a clever or secret hiding spot.
Pitfall
He stashed away it in the drawer.
He stashed it away in the drawer.
when the object is a pronoun like 'it', it must come between the verb and the particle.
Phrasal verb
Particles
away
Separability
optional
Pattern
stash (+ object) + away (+ object)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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