pack in

present singular third person packs in · participle present packing in · participle past packed in · past packed in

1. idiomatictransitiveTo give up, to quit.

   Goodbye, old sleepyhead / I'm packing you in like I said / Take care of everything / I'm leaving my wedding ring

   1947, Willard Robison, “Don't Smoke in Bed”, performed by Peggy Lee

   3 more examples

   I rode 700 miles one day before packing it in for the night, yet after 15 minutes of rest in my hotel room, I realized that I could have gone farther.

   1989 January, “Riding Harley's flagship”, in American Motorcyclist

   As the Senate deliberated in Washington – and packed it in for the night without finalizing a deal — Obama brushed pressed House Democrats to finalize

   2009 February 6, “At Dem retreat, a partisan love fest”, in Yahoo! News

   LAST year I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had to pack in my job as a full-time cleaner as I needed chemo and radiotherapy

   2009 November 7, “Captain Crunch compares 'greener' light bulbs”, in The Sun

2. idiomaticTo include (especially of a large amount).

   Though co-star Keanu Reeves considered this new trip unnecessary, the "Speed 2" crew has packed in lots of references from the original.

   1997 June 13, “MOVIE REVIEW Speed 2: Cruise Control”, in Los Angeles Times

   1 more example

   An unexpected downside was a new generation of trains where the principal aim was to 'pack them in', leading to a sharp slump in ambience and passenger comfort.

   2023 September 20, Nigel Harris, “Comment Special: And it's goodbye from me...”, in RAIL, number 992, page 3

3. mountain climbingTo transport to base camp, especially by backpack.