Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Latin in- Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-der. Proto-Indo-European *steh₂u-ro- Proto-Italic *stauros Latin *staurō Latin īnstaurō Proto-Italic *-āzi ▲ Latin -ereinflu. Latin -āre Latin īnstaurāreder. Anglo-Norman storbor. Middle English store English store Inherited from Middle English store, borrowed from Anglo-Norman stor, from Latin īnstaurāre, from īnstaurō + -āre.
1
A place where items may be accumulated or routinely kept.
And his subjects wrung all they could wring Out of temple and palace and store.1936, Robert Frost, “The Vindictives”, in A Further Range:
2
A supply held in storage.
Near-synonyms: stock, supply; cache, stash
They keep a store of canned goods in their basement.
4 more examples
They could eat from their stores for a month or two if need be.
But there was an infinite store of mercy in those eyes, for him too a word of pardon even though he had erred and sinned and wandered.1922 February, James Joyce, “[13]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:
By late summer a sufficient store of stone had accumulated, and then the building began[…], under the superintendence of the pigs.1943 November – 1944 February (date written; published 1945 August 17), George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], Animal Farm […], London: Secker & Warburg, published May 1962, →OCLC:
What surprised us all was how Will's lighthearted nature and constant store of good humor won over one of the great heiresses of King Henry's court, Anne Bourchier.2006, Carolly Erickson, The Last Wife of Henry VIII:
3
North American, Mainly A building (or portion thereof) where items may be purchased.
Dad went to the store to get milk and bread.
There was some laughter, and Roddle was left free to expand his ideas on the periodic visits of cowboys to the town. “Mason Rickets, he had ten big punkins a-sittin' in front of his store, an' them fellers from the Upside-down-F ranch shot 'em up […].”1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 1, in Twelve O'Clock:
1 more example
In 1866 Colonel J. F. Meline noted that the rebozo had almost disappeared in Santa Fe and that hoop skirts, on sale in the stores, were being widely used.1948, Carey McWilliams, North from Mexico: The Spanish-Speaking People of The United States, J. B. Lippincott Company, page 75:
The main store of 1000 36-bit words seemed large at the time.
5
A great quantity or number; abundance.
I make my love engrafted to this store.1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 37”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
With store of Ladies, whose bright eies Rain influence, and judge the prise Of Wit, or Arms, while both contend To win her Grace, whom all commend.a. 1645, John Milton, “L’Allegro”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC:
6
Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of store cattle beast: a head of store cattle (feeder cattle to be sold to others for finishing).
heifers and stores
She saw that there were cattle grazing on two of the fields between her and the river. Whether they were the fields next to the bank she could not be sure, because she could not see the river itself, but from the distance and the fences she thought they must be. If they were a milking herd, it meant that twice a day someone would have to come from Calton and call them in and count heads and open gates for them, but she could not see from here if they were. At this time of the year the heifers and stores looked grown beasts at this distance. There was no one with them now.2013 [1978], P. M. Hubbard, The Quiet River, republished edition, Orion Publishing Group, →ISBN:
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Latin in- Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-der. Proto-Indo-European *steh₂u-ro- Proto-Italic *stauros Latin *staurō Latin īnstaurō Proto-Italic *-āzi ▲ Latin -ereinflu. Latin -āre Latin īnstaurāreder. Anglo-Norman storbor. Middle English store English store Inherited from Middle English store, borrowed from Anglo-Norman stor, from Latin īnstaurāre, from īnstaurō + -āre.
1
To keep (something) while not in use, generally in a place meant for that purpose.
I'll store these books in the attic.
The half-dozen pieces […] were painted white and carved with festoons of flowers, birds and cupids. To display them the walls had been tinted a vivid blue which had now faded, but the carpet, which had evidently been stored and recently relaid, retained its original turquoise.1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
1 more example
Following allocation to Toton on January 1 1996, it stayed there until transferral to Crewe in November 2000, before being stored at Eastleigh on December 17 the same year.2024 January 10, Chris Gilson, “RAIL's famous five...”, in RAIL, number 1000, page 27:
2
To contain.
The cabinets store all the food the mice would like.
3
Have the capacity and capability to contain.
They sell boxes that store 24 mason jars.
4
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To write (something) into memory or registers.
This operation stores the result on the stack.
5
To stock, to fill (a container, repository, etc.) with things.
ON the Weſt of Tebeth lies the Province of Kaindu ᵈ, under its own Kings, till conquered by the Khân. It contains many Cities ; the Capital is of the ſame Name, and ſtands in the Entrance of the Province. Here is a great Salt-Lake, ſtored with Fiſh, and ſo affluent in Pearls, that they would be of no Value, if carried-away at Pleaſure.1747, A New General Collection of Voyages and Travels, volume IV, London: Thomas Astley, →OCLC, page 594, columns 1–2:
His great passion was for hearing stories, and whenever he met any one who was well stored, he never let him go till he had heard them all.1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 287:
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I have eaten my fill, and had my pockets well stored.1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 8, page 244: