pack a lunch
pack a lunch verb: used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see pack, a, lunch: prepare a packed lunch.
Verb
pack a lunch (third-person singular simple present packs a lunch, present participle packing a lunch, simple past and past participle packed a lunch)
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see pack, a, lunch: prepare a packed lunch.
- The field trip will last all day long, so you'll need to pack a lunch and wear comfortable shoes.
- To be dedicated and well-prepared in pursuing a goal.
- you'd better pack a lunch if you think you'll [do X]
- If you're hoping to outwork Jane, you'd better pack a lunch.
- Synonyms:
- get up early
Synonyms of pack a lunch
Forms of pack a lunch
| third-person singular present | packs a lunch |
|---|---|
| present participle | packing a lunch |
| past participle | packed a lunch |
| past | packed a lunch |
Origin of pack a lunch
From the idea that a large and difficult task requires substantial preparation and effort. The same metaphor is at work for get up early; pack a lunch may well have come after get up early as an elaboration of the metaphor. The two phrases are often used in combination, for example, if you're planning to do X, you'd better get up early and pack a lunch.
Questions about pack a lunch
- What does pack a lunch mean?
- Pack a lunch means used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see pack, a, lunch: prepare a packed lunch.
- What part of speech is pack a lunch?
- Pack a lunch is a verb.
- What is the past tense of pack a lunch?
- The past tense of pack a lunch is packed a lunch.
Words near pack a lunch in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: pack a lunch (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this entry: “pack a lunch.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/pack_a_lunch. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.