pack
Preserved but no longer current.
To go away; "now, then, PACK off there," i.e., be off, don’t stop here any longer.—Old. "Make speede to flee, be PACKING awaie."—Baret’s Alvearie, 1580. Contraction of "PACK up and be off." Sometimes the term "sent PACKING" is used to indicate a sudden discharge, as of a servant or mistress.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “pack” mean?
To go away; "now, then, PACK off there," i.e., be off, don’t stop here any longer.—Old. "Make speede to flee, be PACKING awaie."—Baret’s Alvearie, 1580. Contraction of "PACK up and be off." Sometimes the term "sent PACKING" is used to indicate a sudden discharge, as of a servant or mistress.
Is “pack” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.