[count] 1 : a bag or bundle of objects that is carried on a person's or animal's back
▪ He took a map and a bottle of water out of his pack. ▪ hikers carrying heavy packs up a mountain ▪ They loaded the packs onto the horses. — see also backpack, fanny pack 2 chiefly US a : a small paper or cardboard package in which small things are sold
▪ a pack [=(Brit) packet] of gum/cigarettes/needles ▪ The entire pack of crayons spilled on the floor. ▪ Cigarettes typically come in packs of 20.
b : the amount contained in one pack
▪ He smokes two packs (of cigarettes) a day. — see also six-pack 3 Brit : packet 2b
▪ You'll receive your informational pack upon arrival. 4 : a complete set of playing cards : deck
▪ Take a card from the top and put it in the middle of the pack. 5 : a group of similar people or things
▪ A pack of reporters were following them wherever they went. ▪ packs of teenagers/lawyers/thieves ▪ The information he gave us was just a pack of lies. [=all lies] ▪ One writer stands out from the pack. [=one writer is different from the others] ▪ She's not content to simply follow the pack. [=to do what everyone else does] 6 : a large number of people who are grouped together during a race or competition — usually singular ▪ In the last few seconds, she broke/drew/pulled away from the pack and won the race. ▪ The company is trying to stay ahead of the pack. [=ahead of their competitors] 7 : a group of usually wild animals that hunt together
▪ a wolf pack ▪ a pack of wild dogs ▪ animals that hunt in packs 8 a : an organized group of Cub Scouts
▪ Cub Scout Pack No. 5398
b chiefly Brit : an organized group of Brownies
▪ a Brownie pack [=(US) troop] 9 : a thick, wet substance that is put on the skin as a beauty treatment
▪ an herbal face pack ▪ mud packs 10 : a folded cloth that is pressed against a part of the body to reduce pain or stop bleeding from an injury
▪ a cold pack [=compress] — see also ice pack