stamp
(stæmp )
Word forms: stamps , stamping , stamped
1. countable noun A2
A stamp or a postage stamp is a small piece of paper which you stick on an envelope or package before you post it to pay for the cost of the postage.
...a book of stamps.
It's FREEPOST, so there's no need for a stamp.
...two first class stamps.
2. See also food stamp
3. countable noun
A stamp is a small block of wood or metal which has a pattern or a group of letters on one side. You press it onto an pad of ink and then onto a piece of paper in order to produce a mark on the paper. The mark that you produce is also called a stamp.
...a date stamp and an ink pad.
You may live only where the stamp in your passport says you may.
Synonyms: imprint, mark, brand, cast
4. verb B2
If you stamp a mark or word on an object, you press the mark or word onto the object using a stamp or other device.
Car manufacturers stamp a vehicle identification number in several places. [VERB noun preposition]
When a gift voucher is exchanged it's stamped with the details of the store. [VERB noun preposition]
'Eat before JULY 14' was stamped on the label. [be VERB-ed preposition]
Synonyms: print, mark, fix, impress
5. verb [Also VERB noun]
If you stamp or stamp your foot, you lift your foot and put it down very hard on the ground, for example because you are angry or because your feet are cold.
Often he teased me till my temper went and I stamped and screamed. [VERB]
His foot stamped down on the accelerator. [VERB adverb/preposition]
She stamped her feet on the pavement to keep out the cold. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: stomp [informal], stump, clump, tramp
Stamp is also a noun.
...hearing the creak of a door and the stamp of cold feet.
6. verb
If you stamp somewhere, you walk there putting your feet down very hard on the ground because you are angry.
'I'm going before things get any worse!' he shouted as he stamped out of the bedroom. [VERB preposition/adverb]
Overweight and sweating in the humid weather, she stamped from room to room. [VERB preposition/adverb]
7. verb
If you stamp on something, you put your foot down on it very hard.
He received the original ban last week after stamping on the referee's foot during the supercup final. [VERB + on]
Synonyms: trample, step, tread, crush
8. singular noun
If something bears the stamp of a particular quality or person, it clearly has that quality or was done by that person.
...lawns and flowerbeds that bore the stamp of years of confident care.
Most of us want to put the stamp of our personality on our home. [+ of]
Synonyms: mark, indication, hallmark, badge
9. verb
A quality, feature, or action that stamps someone or something as a particular thing shows clearly that they are this thing.
Chris Boardman stamped himself as the 4,000m favourite by setting the world's fastest outdoor time in Barcelona last night. [V pron-refl as n]
Synonyms: identify, mark, brand, label
10. See also rubber stamp
11. stamp of approval phrase [PHRASE after verb]
If a person or organization gives something their seal of approval or their stamp of approval, they officially say that they like it or think it is acceptable.
Ministers have put their seal of approval on the proposal.
Last November the commission gave its stamp of approval to the deal.
Phrasal verbs:
stamp on
phrasal verb
If someone stamps on a dishonest or undesirable activity, they act immediately to stop it happening or spreading.
The tone of her voice was designed to stamp on this topic of conversation once and for all. [VERB PARTICLE noun]
Mrs Amaury's story had to be stamped on before it got any further. [VERB PARTICLE noun]
The government's first duty is to defend the currency by stamping on inflation. [VERB PARTICLE noun]
stamp out
phrasal verb [Also VERB PARTICLE noun (not pronoun)]
If you stamp out something bad that is happening, you make it stop.
Dr Muffett stressed that he was opposed to bullying in schools and that action would be taken to stamp it out. [VERB noun PARTICLE]
...on-the-spot fines to stamp the problems out. [VERB noun PARTICLE]
Image of stamp
© Boris15, Shutterstock
Idioms:
on the back of a postage stamp
if eveything that someone knows about something could be put on the back of a postage stamp, they know very little about it
What she knew about children would have fitted on the back of a postage stamp.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Collocations:
stamp features stamp issue
The 75p stamp features him working on a surface radar used to investigate the internal properties of glacier ice.
Times, Sunday Times
In addition, a fourth stamp features the 1914-15 star medal which was presented to all those who fought in campaigns during those war years.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The center of the stamp features the original state seal.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The 10f stamp features a dove with olive branch in front of a banner.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The twopenny value of the 1949 health stamp features a notable, though not particularly rare, flaw, with some stamps issued with no dot below the d of the value.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
We're thinking more along the lines of an open-top bus tour and a commemorative stamp issue.
Times, Sunday Times
This stamp issue could be an opportunity to encourage young people to take up the hobby of stamp collecting.
Times, Sunday Times
Some organisations linked to a stamp issue, supply their own design.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Everyone knows that postage stamp issues are sensitive.
Times, Sunday Times
The series consisted of twenty stamps issued in sheets, twelve issued in coils, and one produced especially for a booklet.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Translations:
Chinese: 邮票, 加戳
Japanese: 切手, 踏みつける
- boundary wall
- bound by the law
- bound copy
- bounder
- boundless
- boundless curiosity
- boundless energy
- boundless enthusiasm
- boundless imagination
- boundless optimism
- boundless potential
- bounds of decency
- bounds of possibility
- bound up in
- bound up in
- bound up in/with
- bound up with
- bound volume
- bountiful
- bountiful crop
- bountiful harvest
- bountiful supply
- bounty
- bounty hunter
- bounty hunting