‖a. [ It., p. p. of staccare, equivalent to distaccare. See Detach. ] 1. (Mus.) Disconnected; separated; distinct; -- a direction to perform the notes of a passage in a short, distinct, and pointed manner. It is opposed to legato, and often indicated by heavy accents written over or under the notes, or by dots when the performance is to be less distinct and emphatic. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Expressed in a brief, pointed manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

Staccato and peremptory [ literary criticism ]. G. Eliot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Icel. stakkr; akin to Sw. stack, Dan. stak. Cf. Stake. ] 1. A large and to some degree orderly pile of hay, grain, straw, or the like, usually of a nearly conical form, but sometimes rectangular or oblong, contracted at the top to a point or ridge, and sometimes covered with thatch. [ 1913 Webster ]

But corn was housed, and beans were in the stack. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: An orderly pile of any type of object, indefinite in quantity; -- used especially of piles of wood. A stack is usually more orderly than a pile [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

Against every pillar was a stack of billets above a man's height. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Specifically: A pile of wood containing 108 cubic feet. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Hence: A large quantity; as, a stack of cash. [ Informal ] [ PJC ]

5. (Arch.) (a) A number of flues embodied in one structure, rising above the roof. Hence: (b) Any single insulated and prominent structure, or upright pipe, which affords a conduit for smoke; as, the brick smokestack of a factory; the smokestack of a steam vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Computer programming) (a) A section of memory in a computer used for temporary storage of data, in which the last datum stored is the first retrieved. (b) A data structure within random-access memory used to simulate a hardware stack; as, a push-down stack. [ PJC ]

7. pl. The section of a library containing shelves which hold books less frequently requested. [ PJC ]

Stack of arms (Mil.), a number of muskets or rifles set up together, with the bayonets crossing one another, forming a sort of conical self-supporting pile. --
to blow one's stacks to become very angry and lose one's self-control, and especially to display one's fury by shouting. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Stacked p. pr. & vb. n. Stacking. ] [ Cf. Sw. stacka, Dan. stakke. See Stack, n. ] 1. To lay in a conical or other pile; to make into a large pile; as, to stack hay, cornstalks, or grain; to stack or place wood. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically: To place in a vertical arrangement so that each item in a pile is resting on top of another item in the pile, except for the bottom item; as, to stack the papers neatly on the desk; to stack the bricks. [ PJC ]

3. To select or arrange dishonestly so as to achieve an unfair advantage; as, to stack a deck of cards; to stack a jury with persons prejudiced against the defendant. [ PJC ]

To stack arms (Mil.), to set up a number of muskets or rifles together, with the bayonets crossing one another, and forming a sort of conical pile. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Hay, grain, or the like, in stacks; things stacked. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A tax on things stacked. [ R. ] Holinshed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. estacade and E. stockade. ] (Mil.) A stockade. [ Scot. ] Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A covering or protection, as of canvas, for a stack. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. from Stack. [ 1913 Webster ]

Stacking band,
Stacking belt, a band or rope used in binding thatch or straw upon a stack. --
Stacking stage, a stage used in building stacks. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A staging for supporting a stack of hay or grain; a staddle{ 2 }; a rickstand. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A yard or inclosure for stacks of hay or grain. A. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., fr. Gr. stakth`, strictly fem. of stakto`s oozing out in drops, fr. sta`zein to drop. ] One of the sweet spices used by the ancient Jews in the preparation of incense. It was perhaps an oil or other form of myrrh or cinnamon, or a kind of storax. Ex. xxx. 34. [ 1913 Webster ]