Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Stuff \Stuff\, n. [OF. estoffe, F. ['e]toffe; of uncertain
origin, perhaps of Teutonic origin and akin to E. stop, v.t.
Cf. {Stuff}, v. t.]
1. Material which is to be worked up in any process of
manufacture.
For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the
work to make it, and too much. --Ex. xxxvi.
7.
Ambitions should be made of sterner stuff. --Shak.
The workman on his stuff his skill doth show, And
yet the stuff gives not the man his skill. --Sir J.
Davies.
2. The fundamental material of which anything is made up;
elemental part; essence.
Yet do I hold it very stuff o' the conscience To do
no contrived murder. --Shak.
3. Woven material not made into garments; fabric of any kind;
specifically, any one of various fabrics of wool or
worsted; sometimes, worsted fiber.
What stuff wilt have a kirtle of? --Shak.
It [the arras] was of stuff and silk mixed, though,
superior kinds were of silk exclusively. --F. G.
Lee.
4. Furniture; goods; domestic vessels or utensils.
He took away locks, and gave away the king's stuff.
--Hayward.
5. A medicine or mixture; a potion. --Shak.
6. Refuse or worthless matter; hence, also, foolish or
irrational language; nonsense; trash.
Anger would indite Such woeful stuff as I or
Shadwell write. --Dryden.
7. (Naut.) A melted mass of turpentine, tallow, etc., with
which the masts, sides, and bottom of a ship are smeared
for lubrication. --Ham. Nav.
Encyc.
8. Paper stock ground ready for use.
Note: When partly ground, called half stuff. --Knight.
{Clear stuff}. See under {Clear}.
{Small stuff} (Naut.), all kinds of small cordage. --Ham.
Nav. Encyc.
{Stuff gown}, the distinctive garb of a junior barrister;
hence, a junior barrister himself. See {Silk gown}, under
{Silk}.
Clear \Clear\ (kl[=e]r), a. [Compar. {Clearer} (-[~e]r); superl.
{Clearest}.] [OE. cler, cleer, OF. cler, F. clair, fr.L.
clarus, clear, broght, loud, distinct, renownwd; perh. akin
to L. clamare to call, E. claim. Cf. {Chanticleer},
{Clairvoyant}, {Claret}, {Clarufy}.]
1. Free from opaqueness; transparent; bright; light;
luminous; unclouded.
The stream is so transparent, pure, and clear.
--Denham.
Fair as the moon, clear as the sun. --Canticles
vi. 10.
2. Free from ambiguity or indistinctness; lucid; perspicuous;
plain; evident; manifest; indubitable.
One truth is clear; whatever is, is right. --Pope.
3. Able to perceive clearly; keen; acute; penetrating;
discriminating; as, a clear intellect; a clear head.
Mother of science! now I feel thy power Within me
clear, not only to discern Things in their causes,
but to trace the ways Of highest agents. --Milton.
4. Not clouded with passion; serene; cheerful.
With a countenance as clear As friendship wears at
feasts. --Shak.
5. Easily or distinctly heard; audible; canorous.
Hark! the numbers soft and clear Gently steal upon
the ear. --Pope.
6. Without mixture; entirely pure; as, clear sand.
7. Without defect or blemish, such as freckles or knots; as,
a clear complexion; clear lumber.
8. Free from guilt or stain; unblemished.
Statesman, yet friend to truth! in soul sincere, In
action faithful, and in honor clear. --Pope.
9. Without diminution; in full; net; as, clear profit.
I often wished that I had clear, For life, six
hundred pounds a-year. --Swift
.
10. Free from impediment or obstruction; unobstructed; as, a
clear view; to keep clear of debt.
My companion . . . left the way clear for him.
--Addison.
11. Free from embarrassment; detention, etc.
The cruel corporal whispered in my ear, Five
pounds, if rightly tipped, would set me clear.
--Gay.
{Clear breach}. See under {Breach}, n., 4.
{Clear days} (Law.), days reckoned from one day to another,
excluding both the first and last day; as, from Sunday to
Sunday there are six clear days.
{Clear stuff}, boards, planks, etc., free from knots.
Syn: Manifest; pure; unmixed; pellucid; transparent;
luminous; obvious; visible; plain; evident; apparent;
distinct; perspicuous. See {Manifest}.