Pack \Pack\, n. [Akin to D. pak, G. pack, Dan. pakke, Sw. packa,
Icel. pakki, Gael. & Ir. pac, Arm. pak. Cf. Packet.]
1. A bundle made up and prepared to be carried; especially, a
bundle to be carried on the back; a load for an animal; a
bale, as of goods. --Piers Plowman.
2. [Cf. Peck, n.]
A number or quantity equal to the
contents of a pack; hence, a multitude; a burden. ``A pack
of sorrows.'' ``A pack of blessings.'' --Shak.
Note: ``In England, by a pack of meal is meant 280 lbs.; of
wool, 240 lbs.'' --McElrath.
3. A number or quantity of connected or similar things; as:
(a) A full set of playing cards; also, the assortment used
in a particular game; as, a euchre pack.
(b) A number of hounds or dogs, hunting or kept together.
(c) A number of persons associated or leagued in a bad
design or practice; a gang; as, a pack of thieves or
knaves.
(d) A shook of cask staves.
(e) A bundle of sheet-iron plates for rolling
simultaneously.
4. A large area of floating pieces of ice driven together
more or less closely. --Kane.
5. An envelope, or wrapping, of sheets used in hydropathic
practice, called dry pack, wet pack, cold pack, etc.,
according to the method of treatment.
6. [Prob. the same word; but cf. AS. p?can to deceive.]
A
loose, lewd, or worthless person. See Baggage. [Obs.]
--Skelton.
Pack animal, an animal, as a horse, mule, etc., employed in
carrying packs.
Pack cloth, a coarse cloth, often duck, used in covering
packs or bales.
Pack horse. See Pack animal (above).
Pack ice. See def. 4, above.
Pack moth (Zo["o]l.), a small moth (Anacampsis
sarcitella) which, in the larval state, is very
destructive to wool and woolen fabrics.
Pack needle, a needle for sewing with pack thread. --Piers
Plowman.
Pack saddle, a saddle made for supporting the load on a
pack animal. --Shak.
Pack staff, a staff for supporting a pack; a peddler's
staff.
Pack thread, strong thread or small twine used for tying
packs or parcels.
Pack train (Mil.), a troop of pack animals.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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