stack against

stack (something) against (someone or something)

1. Literally, to build and lean a pile of something against something. Investigators found that someone had stacked large crates against the emergency exit, blocking everyone's egress once the fire broke out. You can just stack those boxes against the wall over there.2. To manipulate some situation or circumstances to make it harder for someone or something to succeed. Typically "the deck," "the cards," or "the odds" is used between "stack" and "against." Often used in passive constructions. The Olympic committed is facing criminal charges for stacking the odds against athletes from particular countries. Of course, simply by virtue of his being the boss's son, Jeremy has stacked the cards against the rest of us for an early promotion. These big corporations stack the deck against any small business that might stand in their way by hiring huge, high-level legal firms to drown them in litigation.See also: stack

stack something against someone or something

to make a pile of something that leans against someone or something. (See also (against someone or something)">stack the deck (against someone or something).) Watch what you are doing! Why are you stacking the books against me? They will fall when I move. stack the books against the wall.See also: stack