stocking

Everyday

1. A stocking is a long, thin covering for the foot and leg, usually worn by women, often in pairs. tree →
2. A Christmas stocking is a big sock hung up on Christmas Eve to be filled with small presents. tree →
3. Stocking is the -ing form of «stock»: putting goods on shelves, or filling something with supplies, like stocking a pond with fish. tree →
4. A «stocking filler» (UK) or «stocking stuffer» (US) is a small, cheap present. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and Christmas stories it names the stocking for Santa's presents. In shops «stocking the shelves» is a job. In farming «stocking rate» is how many animals per area of land, a maths idea. Phrases: «Christmas stocking», «stocking filler», «in stockinged feet», «stocking up on».

Examples

• I hung my stocking by the fireplace on Christmas Eve. tree →
• In the morning my stocking was full of sweets and a tangerine. tree →
• The shop worker was stocking the shelves with milk. tree →
• Gran wore thick stockings in winter. tree →
• A pencil is a good stocking filler. tree →
• We are stocking up on food before the snowstorm. tree →
• The farmer is stocking the field with ten sheep per hectare. tree →
• Dorothy stood up and found she was in her stocking-feet. tree →

Note

Countable: a stocking, stockings (often a pair). «In stockinged feet» means wearing socks or stockings but no shoes. «Stocking up» means buying lots of supplies.