noun

delay

I. de‧lay¹ W3 /dɪˈleɪ/ BrE AmE noun
1. [countable] when someone or something has to wait, or the length of the waiting time:
Sorry for the delay, Mr Weaver.
delay in
Why was there a delay in warning the public?
delay of
a delay of about an hour
long/considerable/slight etc delay
Long delays are expected on the motorways.
2. [uncountable] when something does not happen or start when it should do
without delay
They must restore normal services without delay.
There can be no excuse for any further delay.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + delay
▪ a slight/short delay There was a slight delay in the departure of the plane.
▪ a long/lengthy delay Patients often face long delays in getting the treatment they need.
▪ a considerable/serious delay (=very long) After a considerable delay, the report was finally published.
▪ a 20-minute/6-month/4-week etc delay A train had broken down, causing a two-hour delay.
▪ traffic delays The roadworks are likely to cause serious traffic delays.
▪ flight delays Unfortunately flight delays do sometimes occur.
■ verbs
▪ cause/lead to a delay The bad weather caused a three-hour delay in sending out rescue helicopters.
▪ experience delays People are experiencing considerable delays in receiving their mail.
▪ face delays (=be likely to experience them) Commuters face long delays as a result of the rail strikes.
▪ reduce delays (=make them shorter and less frequent) The new rules should reduce delays in bringing prisoners to trial.
■ phrases
▪ a series of delays (=a number of delays) After a series of delays and setbacks, the project was finally approved.

remedy

I. rem‧e‧dy¹ /ˈremədi, ˈremɪdi/ BrE AmE noun (plural remedies) [countable]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Anglo-French; Origin: remedie, from Latin remedium, from mederi 'to heal']
1. a way of dealing with a problem or making a bad situation better SYN solution:
The problems in our schools do not have a simple remedy.
remedy for
The program is one remedy for discrimination.
2. a medicine to cure an illness or pain that is not very serious SYN cure
cold/cough remedy
remedy for
a remedy for colds
herbal/natural remedy
a natural remedy that helps insomnia
a home remedy (=one that you make at home) for sore throats
The herb is used as a folk remedy (=a traditional medicine, rather than one a doctor gives you) for a baby’s teething pains.
3. beyond/without remedy formal if a situation is beyond remedy, nothing can be done to make it better:
She felt as if her marital problems were beyond remedy.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + remedy
▪ a cold/cough/flu remedy Most cold remedies have little effect.
▪ a herbal remedy He brought with him a bottle of his own herbal remedy for hayfever.
▪ a natural remedy She began to look into alternative methods of treatment, such as natural remedies and hypnotherapy.
▪ a home remedy (=one that you make at home) Home remedies for colds include honey and lemon.
▪ a traditional/folk remedy Fish oil has been used as a folk remedy since the eighteenth century.
■ verbs
▪ take a remedy Have you tried taking herbal remedies?
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ cure a medicine or medical treatment that makes an illness go away: The scientists are trying to find a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease.
▪ remedy a way to treat a health problem, especially a small problem such as a cold, using plants or other natural methods: Rinsing with salt water is a good home remedy for a sore throat. | The store sells herbal remedies.
▪ antidote a medicine that will stop the effects of a poison or dangerous drug: There is no known antidote to a bite from this snake.

rule

I. rule¹ S1 W1 /ruːl/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: noun: ↑rule, ↑ruler, ↑ruling, ↑unruliness; adjective: ↑ruling, ↑unruly, ↑ruled; verb: ↑rule, ↑overrule]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: reule, from Latin regula; ⇨ ↑regular¹]
1. ABOUT WHAT IS ALLOWED [countable] an official instruction that says how things must be done or what is allowed, especially in a game, organization, or job
rule of
the rules of the game
under the rules/according to the rules
Under the rules, the company must publish its annual accounts.
2. ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD DO [countable] what you should do in a particular situation, or a statement about this:
There are no hard and fast rules (=clear and definite rules) about what to wear to classes.
rule of
There are two basic rules of survival.
The rule is: if you feel any pain you should stop exercising immediately.
3. NORMAL/USUAL [singular] something that is normal or usually true
as a (general) rule
As a general rule most students finish their coursework by the end of May.
Early marriage used to be the rule in that part of the world.
A series of payments used to be the exception rather than the rule.
Unfortunately there is an exception to every rule.
4. GOVERNMENT [uncountable] the government of a country or area by a particular group of people or using a particular system
under ... rule
people living under communist rule
the end of colonial rule
a period of military rule
direct rule from Westminster
the restoration of majority rule (=government by the party that most people have voted for) to Northern Ireland
5. IN GRAMMAR/SCIENCE ETC [countable] a statement about what is usually allowed in a particular system, such as the grammar of a language, or a science
rule of
the rules of English punctuation
6. the rule of law a situation in which the laws of a country are obeyed:
We are here to uphold the rule of law.
7. the rules of natural justice what people believe to be right and fair:
The governor failed to observe the rules of natural justice.
8. rule of thumb a rough figure or method of calculation, based on practical experience:
As a general rule of thumb, children this age should not spend more than one hour on homework.
9. make it a rule (to do something) to try to make sure that you always do something:
I make it a rule never to mix business with pleasure.
10. FOR MEASURING [countable] old-fashioned a ↑ruler
⇨ ↑golden rule, ↑ground rules, ↑home rule, ↑slide rule, ⇨ work to rule at ↑work¹(32)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ break a rule (also violate a rule formal) (=not obey it) He had clearly broken the official rules. | Any one who violates this rule will be severely punished.
▪ obey/follow a rule She wasn’t going to obey their silly rules.
▪ comply with/abide by/observe a rule formal (=obey it) All members must comply with the rules of the organization. | There is little that one country can do if another fails to abide by the rules. | We expect you to observe the general rules of conduct as set out below.
▪ stick to/go by the rules informal (=obey them) We all have to stick to the rules.
▪ make the rules I’m only an assistant manager – I don’t make the rules.
▪ the rule says ... The rule says that you must be standing inside the line.
▪ the rule stipulates that ... formal (=it says that something must be done) The rules stipulate that clubs must field the strongest team available.
▪ the rule prohibits/forbids something The rule forbids women from becoming members of the club.
▪ the rule requires (that) ... formal (=it says that people must do something) School rules required all girls to tie back their hair.
▪ the rule applies to somebody/something (=it concerns them) Everyone thinks that the rule doesn’t apply to them.
▪ play by the rules (=do what is expected and agreed) The system works well enough — as long as everyone plays by the rules.
▪ bend/stretch the rules (=allow someone to do something that is not normally allowed) They bend the rules to suit themselves.
▪ relax the rules (=make them less strict) Britain relaxed its immigration rules.
▪ tighten (up) the rules (=make them stricter) The EU has tightened the rules on the quality of drinking water.
▪ enforce a rule (=make sure that it is obeyed) The planning office does not always enforce its own rules.
▪ flout a rule (=break it, without trying to hide what you are doing) The party continues to flout its own rules.
▪ be bound by rules (=have to obey them) Solicitors are bound by strict rules that regulate their professional conduct.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + rule
▪ strict They have very strict rules about gambling.
▪ simple The rules of the game are quite simple.
▪ petty (=unreasonable rules about unimportant things) There are hundreds of petty rules.
▪ a school/prison/club etc rule He had broken one of the school rules.
▪ an unwritten rule (=a rule of behaviour that everyone in a group understands) There’s an unwritten rule that you never call an actor before 10 a.m.
▪ health and safety rules You should follow any health and safety rules which apply to your workplace.
■ phrases
▪ be against the rules (=not be allowed) It was against the rules to talk in class.
▪ the rules concerning/governing/relating to something formal (=the rules about something) the rules governing food labeling
▪ a change in the rules I didn’t realise that there had been a change in the rules.
▪ a breach of the rules formal (=something that is against the rules) a serious breach of the rules
▪ rules and regulations The government keeps introducing more and more rules and regulations.
▪ rules are rules spoken (=a rule must be obeyed) Rules are rules and you have to abide by them.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ rule an instruction that says what people are allowed to do or not allowed to do, for example in a game, school, or company: the rules of baseball | He disobeyed the school rules.
▪ law an official rule that everyone in a country, city, or state must obey: It is against the law to carry a concealed weapon. | The law requires motorcyclists to wear helmets.
▪ regulation an official rule or order, which is part of a set of rules made by a government or organization: the regulations for applying for a passport | building regulations | environmental regulations on air pollution
▪ restriction an official rule that limits what people can do: new restrictions on immigration | The government is planning to impose regulations on the amount of alcohol you can bring into the country.
▪ guidelines rules or instructions about the best way to do something: the Department of Health’s guidelines for a healthy diet | guidelines for classroom teachers
▪ code a set of rules that people or organizations agree to obey but are not forced to obey: The school has a dress code for its students. | the company’s code of conduct
▪ statute formal a law that has been officially approved by a parliament, council etc, and written down: The statute banned corporal punishment.
▪ ordinance American English a law, made by a city or town, that forbids or restricts an activity: A local ordinance limited speed in the parks to ten miles an hour.

light

I. light¹ S1 W1 /laɪt/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: noun: ↑light, ↑lighter, ↑lighting, ↑lightness; adjective: ↑light, ↑lighted, ↑unlit; verb: ↑light, ↑lighten; adverb: ↑lightly, ↑light]
[Language: Old English; Origin: leoht]
1. NATURAL/ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
a) [uncountable] the energy from the Sun, a flame, a lamp etc that allows you to see things:
We saw a flash of light.
in/by the light of something
Everything looked grey in the dim light of the oil lamp.
I read by the light of the fire.
in/into the light
The man moved forward into the light.
b) [countable] a particular type of light, with its own particular colour, level of brightness etc:
The colours look different in different lights.
2. LAMP/ELECTRIC LIGHT ETC [countable]
a) something that produces light, especially electric light, to help you to see:
Ahead of us we could see the lights of the city.
We’re having a mixture of wall lights and ceiling lights in different parts of the house.
turn/switch/put on a light
I switched on the light in the bedroom.
turn/switch/put off a light
Don’t forget to switch the lights off when you go out.
turn/switch/put out a light
Can you turn the light out downstairs?
a light is/comes/goes on
The lights in the office were still on.
The street lights were just beginning to come on.
He left a light on in the kitchen.
a light is off/out
Make sure all the lights are off when you leave.
Suddenly all the lights in the house went out.
Can you turn the light down (=make it less bright) a bit? ⇨ the bright lights at ↑bright(13)
b) something such as a lamp that you can carry to give you light:
Shine a light over here, will you?
3. TRAFFIC CONTROL [countable usually plural] one of a set of red, green, and yellow lights used for controlling traffic SYN traffic lights:
We waited for the lights to change.
Eventually the lights turned green.
The driver had failed to stop at a red light. ⇨ ↑green light, ↑red-light district
4. ON A VEHICLE [countable usually plural] one of the lights on a car, bicycle etc that help you to see at night:
He was dazzled by the lights of oncoming traffic.
You’ve left your lights on. ⇨ ↑brake light, ↑headlight, ↑parking light
5. first light literary the time when light first appears in the morning sky:
We set out at first light the next day.
6. be/stand in sb’s light to prevent someone from getting all the light they need to see or do something:
Could you move to the left a little – you’re standing in my light.
7. FOR A CIGARETTE a light a match or something else to light a cigarette:
Have you got a light, please?
8. IN SB’S EYES [singular] literary an expression in someone’s eyes that shows an emotion or intention SYN gleam:
There was a murderous light in his eyes.
9. set light to something to make something start burning:
The candle fell over and set light to the barn.
10. come to light/be brought to light if new information comes to light, it becomes known:
This evidence did not come to light until after the trial.
The mistake was only brought to light some years later.
11. throw/shed/cast light on something to provide new information that makes a difficult subject or problem easier to understand:
Melanie was able to shed some light on the situation.
These discoveries may throw new light on the origins of the universe.
12. in the light of something British English, in light of something American English if you do or decide something in the light of something else, you do it after considering that thing:
In light of this tragic event, we have canceled the 4th of July celebrations.
13. in a new/different/bad etc light if someone or something is seen or shown in a particular light, people can see that particular part of their character:
I suddenly saw my father in a new light.
This incident will put the company in a very bad light.
14. see the light
a) to suddenly understand something:
At last doctors have seen the light!
b) to begin to believe in a religion very strongly
15. see the light (of day)
a) if an object sees the light of day, it is taken from the place where it has been hidden, and becomes publicly known:
Some of these documents will probably never see the light of day.
b) if a law, decision etc sees the light of day, it comes into existence for the first time
16. light at the end of the tunnel something that gives you hope for the future after a long and difficult period:
It’s been a hard few months, but we’re finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
17. have your name in lights informal to be successful and famous in theatre or films
18. go/be out like a light informal to go to sleep very quickly because you are very tired:
I went straight to bed and went out like a light.
19. a leading light in/of something informal someone who is important in a particular organization:
She’s one of the leading lights of the local dramatic society.
20. the light of sb’s life the person that someone loves more than anyone else:
Her son was the light of her life.
21. WINDOW [countable] a window in a roof or wall that allows light into a room
⇨ hide your light under a bushel at ↑bushel, ⇨ be all sweetness and light at ↑sweetness(3), ⇨ in the cold light of day at ↑cold¹(9)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + light
▪ bright/strong The light was so bright he had to shut his eyes.
▪ blinding/dazzling (=extremely bright) The white buildings reflected a blinding light.
▪ dim (=not bright) Gradually her eyes became accustomed to the dim light.
▪ good (=bright enough) Stand over here where the light is good.
▪ poor/bad (=not bright enough) The light was too poor for me to read.
▪ soft/warm (=light that seems slightly yellow or orange) the soft light of the candles
▪ cold/harsh (=light that seems slightly blue) the cold light of the moon
▪ the morning/dawn light The flowers glowed brightly in the morning light.
▪ natural light (=light produced by the sun) The only natural light came from two high windows.
▪ artificial light (=light produced by lamps) The office was windowless, lit only by artificial light.
■ verbs
▪ light shines The light from the streetlamp shone through the curtains.
▪ light comes from somewhere The only light came from the fire.
▪ light streams/floods in (=a large amount of light comes in) Light streamed in through the window.
▪ light falls on/across etc something The light fell on her book.
▪ light illuminates something formal (=makes it bright or able to be seen) The light from the screen illuminated the people gathered round it.
▪ the light is fading (=it is getting darker as the sun is going down)
▪ produce light (also emit light technical) the light produced by the sun
▪ cast light (=send light onto something) the gold circle of light cast by the lamp
▪ reflect light Snow reflects a lot of light.
▪ something is bathed in light literary (=something has a lot of light shining on it) The fields and woods were bathed in golden light.
■ phrases
▪ a beam/ray/shaft of light (=a thin line of light) There was a shaft of light from the doorway.
▪ a flash of light (=a bright light that appears suddenly for a very short time) A flash of light caught his attention.
▪ a pool/circle of light (=an area of light) They stood in the pool of light cast by the streetlamp.
• • •
THESAURUS (for Meaning 2)
▪ light something that produces light, especially electric light, to help you to see: She switched the kitchen light on. | The lights in the house were all off.
▪ lamp an object that produces light by using electricity, oil, or gas - often used in names of lights: a bedside lamp | a street lamp | a desk lamp | a table lamp | an old oil lamp | a paraffin lamp
▪ lantern a lamp that you can carry, consisting of a metal container with glass sides that surrounds a flame or light: The miners used lanterns which were lit by candles.
▪ torch British English, flashlight American English a small electric lamp that you carry in your hand: We shone our torches around the cavern.
▪ candle a stick of wax with a string through the middle, which you burn to give light: The restaurant was lit by candles.
▪ bulb the glass part of an electric light, that the light shines from: a 100 watt bulb | an energy-saving light bulb
■ on a car
▪ headlight (also headlamp) one of the two large lights at the front of a vehicle: It was getting dark so she switched the headlights on.
▪ sidelight British English, parking light American English one of the two small lights next to the main lights, at the front and back of a car
▪ tail light one of the two red lights at the back of a vehicle
▪ indicator British English, turn signal American English one of the lights on a car that flash to show which way the car is turning

nostalgia

nos‧tal‧gia /nɒˈstældʒə $ nɑː-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Date: 1700-1800; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: Greek nostos 'returning home' + algos 'pain']
a feeling that a time in the past was good, or the activity of remembering a good time in the past and wishing that things had not changed
nostalgia for
nostalgia for the good old days
He looked back on his university days with a certain amount of nostalgia.
a wave of nostalgia for how great life was in the 1960s
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ feel nostalgia He didn't feel any nostalgia for his school days.
▪ have nostalgia The immigrants I spoke to often had an intense nostalgia for their homeland.
■ adjectives
▪ great nostalgia (=a strong feeling of nostalgia) I read the college newsletter with great nostalgia.
▪ pure nostalgia (=used when talking about good things from the past that are not mixed with things from the present) It was an evening of pure nostalgia, as the band played hits from the 1940s.
■ phrases
▪ a feeling/sense of nostalgia Did it give you a sense of nostalgia to see the play on Broadway again?
▪ a pang of nostalgia (=a short feeling of nostalgia) She felt a pang of nostalgia for the time when they were all children.
▪ a wave of nostalgia (=a strong feeling of nostalgia) As I drove into the city I felt a wave of nostalgia sweep over me.
■ nostalgia + NOUN
▪ a nostalgia trip informal (=a situation or experience that reminds you of events in the past) Walking around campus was a great nostalgia trip for both of us.
▪ a nostalgia buff informal (=someone who likes old things) The restaurant, which still has its 1930s décor, is a favorite with nostalgia buffs.

II. urge² BrE AmE noun [countable]
a strong wish or need SYN desire
urge to do something
He could no longer resist the urge to go and see Amanda.
Suddenly she had an overwhelming urge to be with her son.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ strong/powerful The urge was too strong to resist.
▪ an irresistible/uncontrollable/overwhelming urge (=very strong) I was overcome by an irresistible urge to laugh.
▪ a sudden urge She fought back the sudden urge to beg his forgiveness.
▪ a sexual/biological urge Most of us feel the biological urge to reproduce.
▪ a primal/instinctive/basic/natural urge (=a natural urge that all people have) Every animal has an instinctive urge to survive.
■ verbs
▪ feel/have an urge I still sometimes feel an urge to have a cigarette.
▪ resist/fight/suppress an urge She had to resist a constant urge to look back over her shoulder.
▪ satisfy an urge (=do want you feel you want to do) He satisfied his urge to travel by going to India.
▪ give in to an urge (=do what you feel you want to do, when this is wrong) I try not to give in to the urge to gossip.

Camel

Camel BrE AmE trademark
a type of cigarette made in the US, with a picture of a ↑camel on the packet

camel

cam‧el /ˈkæməl/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 900-1000; Language: Latin; Origin: camelus, from Greek kamelos, from a Semitic language]

a large desert animal with a long neck and either one or two ↑humps (=large raised parts) on its back

wood S2 W2 /wʊd/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: adjective: ↑wooded, ↑wooden, ↑woody; noun: ↑wood, ↑woodenness; adverb: ↑woodenly]
[Language: Old English; Origin: wudu]

1. [uncountable and countable] the material that trees are made of ⇨ wooden, woody:
Put some more wood on the fire.
a polished wood floor
Her house was made of wood. ⇨ ↑hardwood, ↑softwood
2. [countable] (also the woods) a small forest:
a walk in the woods
3. touch wood British English, knock on wood American English said just after you have said that things are going well for you, when you want your good luck to continue
4. [countable] one of a set of four ↑golf clubs with wooden heads
5. not be out of the wood(s) yet informal used to say that there are likely to be more difficulties before things improve
6. not see the wood for the trees to not notice what is important about something because you give too much of your attention to small details
⇨ ↑dead wood
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ solid wood You can install a solid wood door.
▪ bare wood (=not painted or covered) The floors were of bare wood.
▪ a hard/soft wood Oak is a hard wood.
■ verbs
▪ chop wood He was chopping wood for the fire.
▪ cut/saw wood A local carpenter cut the wood to size.
▪ carve wood (=used a knife to shape it) The room was decorated with carved wood.
■ phrases
▪ a piece of wood He made a bench out of pieces of wood.
▪ a plank of wood (=a long thin flat piece) The shed was constructed from some old planks of wood.
▪ a block of wood I used a block of wood to knock the pole into the ground.
▪ the grain of the wood (=the natural lines in it) The oil enhances the natural grain of the wood.
■ wood + NOUN
▪ wood chips (=small rough pieces) Fish are smoked slowly over wood chips.
▪ wood shavings (=thin curly pieces) He cleared up the wood shavings.
▪ wood smoke There was a smell of wood smoke.

II. living² S2 BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: verb: ↑live, ↑outlive, ↑relive, ↑liven, ↑up; adjective: ↑live, ↑lively, ↑living, ↑liveable; noun: ↑liveliness, ↑living, ↑livelihood; adverb: ↑live]
1. [countable usually singular] the way that you earn money or the money that you earn:
It’s not a great job, but it’s a living.
What do you do for a living? (=what do you do as a job?)
earn/make a living
It’s hard to make a decent living as a musician.
scrape/scratch a living (=get just enough to eat or live)
2. the living all the people who are alive as opposed to dead people OPP the dead
3. [uncountable] the way in which someone lives their life:
the stresses of city living
4. [countable] the position or income of a ↑parish priest
⇨ ↑cost of living, ↑standard of living, ⇨ in the land of the living at ↑land¹(7)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ earn/make a living She was able to make a living out of her talents as a cook.
▪ do something for a living (=to work at something as your job) 'What does he do for a living?' 'I think he's a taxi driver.'
▪ scrape out/scratch out/eke out a living (=to barely earn enough money to live) The farmers in these drought-stricken areas are barely able to scratch out a living.
■ adjectives
▪ a good/decent living (=enough money) Her husband makes a good living.
▪ a meagre living British English, a meager living American English (=not much money) She earned a meagre living as a shop assistant.

stuff

I. stuff¹ S1 W3 /stʌf/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: estoffe, from estoffer 'to provide with things needed']
1. THINGS informal used when you are talking about things such as substances, materials, or groups of objects when you do not know what they are called, or it is not important to say exactly what they are:
I’ve got some sticky stuff on my shoe.
How do you think you’re going to fit all that stuff into the car?
I felt sorry for the ones who had to eat the awful stuff.
Where’s all the camping stuff?
2. sb’s stuff informal the things that belong to someone:
Did you get the rest of your stuff?
3. ACTIVITIES/IDEAS informal used when talking about different activities, subjects, or ideas, when you do not say exactly what these are:
What kind of stuff do you like to read?
I’ve got so much stuff to do this weekend.
There’s a lot of interesting stuff in this book.
He’s talked to me about all that stuff too.
He does mountain biking and skiing, and stuff like that.
4. WORK/ART informal used when you are talking about what someone has done or made, for example writing, music, or art:
I don’t like his stuff.
John Lee was getting ready to play his stuff.
He did some great stuff in his early films.
good stuff British English (=used to tell someone that their work is good)
This is good stuff.
5. ... and stuff spoken informal used to say that there are other things similar to what you have just mentioned, but you are not going to say what they are:
There’s some very good music there, CD systems and stuff, and laser disks.
6. the (very) stuff of dreams/life/politics exactly the kind of thing that dreams etc consist of:
an enchanting place – the very stuff of dreams
7. CHARACTER the qualities of someone’s character:
Does he have the right stuff (=qualities that make you able to deal with difficulties)?
Surely you’re not going to give up? I thought you were made of sterner stuff (=were more determined).
8. do/show your stuff informal to do what you are good at when everyone wants you to do it:
Come on Gina, get on the dance floor and do your stuff!
⇨ bit of stuff at ↑bit¹(14), ⇨ kid’s stuff at ↑kid¹(4), ⇨ know your stuff at ↑know¹(5), ⇨ strut your stuff at ↑strut¹(2)
• • •
GRAMMAR
Stuff is an uncountable noun and has no plural form. Use a singular verb after it:
▪ Most of my stuff is still in packing cases.