Definition

1. Noun:

   • The internal organ in the body where food digestion begins: A muscular, sac-like part of the digestive system that breaks down food.
   • The abdominal area or belly: The front part of the body between the chest and the pelvis.
   • An appetite for food: A desire or capacity to eat.
   • A liking or tolerance for something difficult or unpleasant: The mental or emotional capacity to accept or endure something.

2. Verb:

   • To tolerate or endure something unpleasant: To accept or bear something disagreeable or offensive.
   • To be able to eat something without feeling sick: To digest or keep down food.

Examples

• Noun:

  • My stomach hurts after eating too much. (Referring to the organ.)
  • He was punched in the stomach. (Referring to the abdominal area.)
  • I have no stomach for lunch right now. (Referring to appetite.)
  • She has no stomach for violent movies. (Referring to tolerance.)

• Verb:

  • I cannot stomach his arrogant behavior.
  • Some people cannot stomach very spicy food.

Advanced Usage

• "To have a strong stomach": To have a high tolerance for things that are unpleasant, gory, or disturbing.

  • Surgeons need to have a strong stomach.

• "To turn one's stomach": To cause feelings of nausea or disgust.

  • The graphic images turned my stomach.

• "On an empty stomach": Without having eaten food recently.

  • Take this medicine on an empty stomach.

Variants and Related Words

• Stomachache (n): A pain in the stomach or abdominal area.

  • She has a stomachache.

• Stomachful (n): As much as the stomach can hold.

  • He ate a stomachful of pasta.

• Stomachic (adj): Relating to the stomach; stimulating digestive activity.

Synonyms

• Noun (organ/abdomen): Belly, abdomen, gut, tummy (informal).
• Noun (appetite): Appetite, hunger.
• Noun (tolerance): Inclination, taste, appetite.
• Verb (tolerate): Tolerate, endure, bear, stand, put up with.

Phrasal Verbs / Related Constructions

• "Stomach up" (informal): To prepare oneself to endure something.
  • You'll need to stomach up for the bad news.

Related Idioms

• "Butterflies in one's stomach": A feeling of nervousness or anxiety.

  • I had butterflies in my stomach before the speech.

• "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach": A saying that suggests preparing good food is a way to make someone love you.

• "Eyes are bigger than one's stomach": To take more food than one can actually eat.

  • I took too much food; my eyes were bigger than my stomach.

Noun

1. an appetite for food
   • exercise gave him a good stomach for dinner
2. an inclination or liking for things involving conflict or difficulty or unpleasantness
   • he had no stomach for a fight
3. the region of the body of a vertebrate between the thorax and the pelvis
4. an enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal; the principal organ of digestion

Verb

1. put up with something or somebody unpleasant
   • I cannot bear his constant criticism
   • The new secretary had to endure a lot of unprofessional remarks
   • he learned to tolerate the heat
   • She stuck out two years in a miserable marriage
2. bear to eat
   • He cannot stomach raw fish