Definition

1. Noun:

   • A place where goods are kept for future use or sale: A building, room, or facility where items are accumulated and held.
   • A retail establishment selling goods to the public: A shop or business where merchandise is offered for sale.
   • A supply or quantity of something kept for future use: A reserve or stockpile of items.
   • (Computing) A part of a computer that retains data: A memory device or the act of retaining digital information.

2. Verb:

   • To keep or accumulate something for future use: To put aside or save items for later.
   • To put something in a specific place for safekeeping: To place items in a designated location like a warehouse, room, or container.
   • To hold or contain information or data: In computing, to retain digital data in memory.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • She went to the grocery store to buy milk. (Referring to a retail shop)
  • The company has a large store of spare parts in the warehouse. (Referring to a supply kept for use)
  • The computer's store was insufficient for the new software. (Referring to memory capacity)

• Verb:

  • We need to store the winter clothes in the attic during summer.
  • This device can store thousands of photographs.
  • Squirrels store nuts for the winter months.

Advanced Usage

• "In store" (idiomatic phrase): Awaiting in the future; kept ready or available.
  • We have a big surprise in store for her birthday.
• "Set (great/little) store by something" (idiomatic phrase): To consider something as (very or not) important or valuable.
  • He sets great store by honesty in all his relationships.

Variants and Related Words

• Storage (n): The action or method of storing goods or data; a space for storing.
  • We rented a storage unit for our furniture.
• Storable (adj): Capable of being stored.
  • Rice is a storable food item.
• Restore (v): To bring back or re-establish (note: this is a distinct word, not a variant of 'store', but shares the root related to 'placing back').

Synonyms

• Noun (Shop): Shop, outlet, market.
• Noun (Supply): Stock, reserve, hoard, cache.
• Verb: Keep, save, stockpile, accumulate, deposit.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Store away: To put something aside for a long time.
  • She decided to store away her grandmother's china.
• Store up: To accumulate or gather a supply of something.
  • It's wise to store up non-perishable food for emergencies.

Related Idioms

• Mind like a steel trap: (Implies excellent memory, related to the concept of storing information) Having a very retentive memory or quick understanding.
  • The lawyer has a mind like a steel trap; she remembers every detail.
• Lay up in store: To save or accumulate for future needs.
  • The wise ant lays up store for the winter.

Noun

1. a depository for goods
   • storehouses were built close to the docks
2. an electronic memory device
   • a memory and the CPU form the central part of a computer to which peripherals are attached
3. a supply of something available for future use
   • he brought back a large store of Cuban cigars
4. a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
   • he bought it at a shop on Cape Cod

Verb

1. find a place for and put away for storage
   • where should we stow the vegetables?
   • I couldn't store all the books in the attic so I sold some
2. keep or lay aside for future use
   • store grain for the winter
   • The bear stores fat for the period of hibernation when he doesn't eat