# stash away

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stash-away
Updated: 2026-10-23

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He stashed away it in the drawer." but "He stashed it away in the drawer." — when the object is a pronoun like 'it', it must come between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- 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.

---

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.