2. [Cf. Peck, n.] A number or quantity equal to the contents of a pack; hence, a multitude; a burden.
"A pack of sorrows." "A pack of blessings." Shak.
"In England, by a pack of meal is meant 280 lbs.; of wool, 240 lbs." McElrath.
3. A number or quantity of connected or similar things; as: (a) A full set of playing cards; also, the assortment
used in a particular game; as, a euchre pack. (b) A number of hounds or dogs, hunting or kept together.
(c) A number of persons associated or leagued in a bad design or practice; a gang; as, a pack of thieves
or knaves. (d) A shook of cask staves. (e) A bundle of sheet-iron plates for rolling simultaneously.
4. A large area of floating pieces of ice driven together more or less closely. Kane.
5. An envelope, or wrapping, of sheets used in hydropathic practice, called dry pack, wet pack, cold
pack, etc., according to the method of treatment.
6. [Prob. the same word; but cf. AS. pcan to deceive.] A loose, lewd, or worthless person. See Baggage.
[Obs.] Skelton.
Pack animal, an animal, as a horse, mule, etc., employed in carrying packs. — Pack cloth, a coarse
cloth, often duck, used in covering packs or bales. — Pack horse. See Pack animal — Pack ice.
See def. 4, above. — Pack moth (Zoöl.), a small moth (Anacampsis sarcitella) which, in the larval
state, is very destructive to wool and woolen fabrics. — Pack needle, a needle for sewing with pack
thread. Piers Plowman. — Pack saddle, a saddle made for supporting the load on a pack animal.
Shak. — Pack staff, a staff for supporting a pack; a peddler's staff. — Pack thread, strong thread or
small twine used for tying packs or parcels. — Pack train (Mil.), a troop of pack animals.
Pack
(Pack) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Packed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Packing.] [Akin to D. pakken, G. packen,
Dan. pakke, Sw. packa, Icel. pakka. See Pack, n.]
1. To make a pack of; to arrange closely and securely in a pack; hence, to place and arrange compactly
as in a pack; to press into close order or narrow compass; as to pack goods in a box; to pack fish.
Strange materials packed up with wonderful art.
Addison.
Where . . . the bones
Of all my buried ancestors are packed.
Shak. 2. To fill in the manner of a pack, that is, compactly and securely, as for transportation; hence, to fill
closely or to repletion; to stow away within; to cause to be full; to crowd into; as, to pack a trunk; the play,
or the audience, packs the theater.
3. To sort and arrange (the cards) in a pack so as to secure the game unfairly.
And mighty dukes pack cards for half a crown.
Pope. 4. Hence: To bring together or make up unfairly and fraudulently, in order to secure a certain result; as, to
pack a jury or a causes.
The expected council was dwindling into . . . a packed assembly of Italian bishops.
Atterbury. 5. To contrive unfairly or fraudulently; to plot. [Obs.]
He lost life . . . upon a nice point subtilely devised and packed by his enemies.
Fuller. 6. To load with a pack; hence, to load; to encumber; as, to pack a horse.
Our thighs packed with wax, our mouths with honey.
Shack.
