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stick
1[ stik ]
noun
- a branch or shoot of a tree or shrub that has been cut or broken off.
- a relatively long and slender piece of wood.
- a long piece of wood for use as fuel, in carpentry, etc.
- a rod or wand.
- a baton.
- Chiefly British. a walking stick or cane.
- a club or cudgel.
- something that serves to goad or coerce: Compare carrot ( def 3 ).
The threat of unemployment was the stick that kept the workers toiling overtime.
- a long, slender piece or part of anything:
a stick of candy; sticks of celery.
- any of four equal parts in a pound of butter or margarine.
- Sports. an implement used to drive or propel a ball or puck, as a crosse or a hockey stick.
- Aeronautics. a lever, usually with a handle, by which the longitudinal and lateral motions of an airplane are controlled.
- Nautical. a mast or spar.
- Printing. composing stick.
- the sticks, Informal. any region distant from cities or towns, as rural districts; the country:
Having lived in a large city all his life, he found it hard to adjust to the sticks.
- Military.
- a group of bombs so arranged as to be released in a row across a target.
- the bomb load.
- Informal. stick shift.
- Slang. a marijuana cigarette.
- Informal. an unenthusiastic or uninteresting person.
- Informal. a portion of liquor, as brandy, added to a nonalcoholic drink.
verb (used with object)
- to furnish (a plant, vine, etc.) with a stick or sticks in order to prop or support.
- Printing. to set (type) in a composing stick.
stick
2[ stik ]
verb (used with object)
- to pierce or puncture with something pointed, as a pin, dagger, or spear; stab:
to stick one's finger with a needle.
- to kill by this means:
to stick a pig.
- to thrust (something pointed) in, into, through, etc.:
to stick a needle into a pincushion.
- to fasten in position by thrusting a point or end into something:
to stick a peg in a pegboard.
- to fasten in position by or as if by something thrust through:
to stick a painting on the wall.
- to put on or hold with something pointed; impale:
to stick a marshmallow on a fork.
Synonyms: transfix
- to decorate or furnish with things piercing the surface:
to stick a cushion full of pins.
- to furnish or adorn with things attached or set here and there:
to stick shelves full of knickknacks.
- to place upon a stick or pin for exhibit:
to stick butterflies.
Synonyms: pin
- to thrust or poke into a place or position indicated:
to stick one's head out of the window.
- to place or set in a specified position; put:
Stick the chair in the corner.
- to fasten or attach by causing to adhere:
to stick a stamp on a letter.
- to bring to a standstill; render unable to proceed or go back (usually used in the passive):
The car was stuck in the mud.
- Carpentry. to start (a nail).
- Ceramics. to join (pieces of partially hardened clay) together, using slip as an adhesive.
- Chiefly British Informal. to tolerate; endure:
He couldn't stick the job more than three days.
- to confuse or puzzle; bewilder; perplex; nonplus:
He was stuck by the very first problem on the test.
- Informal. to impose something disagreeable upon (a person or persons), as a large bill or a difficult task:
The committee persistently stuck him with fund collection.
- Informal. to cheat.
- Slang: Often Vulgar. to go to hell with: often used imperatively.
verb (used without object)
- to have the point piercing or embedded in something:
The arrow stuck in the tree.
- to remain attached by adhesion.
- to hold, cleave, or cling:
The young rider stuck to the back of his terrified horse.
- to remain persistently or permanently:
a fact that sticks in the mind.
- to remain firm, as in resolution, opinion, statement, or attachment; hold faithfully, as to a promise or bargain.
- to keep or remain steadily or unremittingly, as to a task, undertaking, or the like:
to stick to a job until it is finished.
- to become fastened, hindered, checked, or stationary by some obstruction:
Her zipper stuck halfway up.
- to be at a standstill, as from difficulties:
I'm stuck on this problem.
- to be embarrassed or puzzled; hesitate or scruple (usually followed by at ).
- to be thrust or placed so as to extend, project, or protrude (usually followed by through, from, out, up, etc.).
noun
- a thrust with a pointed instrument; stab.
- a stoppage or standstill.
- something causing delay or difficulty.
- the quality of adhering or of causing things to adhere.
- something causing adhesion.
verb phrase
- to maintain one's attachment or loyalty to; remain faithful to:
They vowed to stick by one another no matter what happened.
- Informal. to wait in the vicinity; linger:
If you had stuck around, you'd have seen the fireworks.
- to speak in favor of; come to the defense of; support:
She always sticks up for him, even though he doesn't deserve it.
- to extend; protrude:
Stick out your tongue. Your shirttail is sticking out.
- Informal. to rob, especially at gunpoint:
A lone gunman stuck up the gas station.
stick
1/ stɪk /
verb
- tr to pierce or stab with or as if with something pointed
- to thrust or push (a sharp or pointed object) or (of a sharp or pointed object) to be pushed into or through another object
- tr to fasten in position by pushing or forcing a point into something
to stick a peg in a hole
- tr to fasten in position by or as if by pins, nails, etc
to stick a picture on the wall
- tr to transfix or impale on a pointed object
- tr to cover with objects piercing or set in the surface
- whenintr, foll by out, up, through, etc to put forward or be put forward; protrude or cause to protrude
to stick one's head out of the window
- informal.tr to place or put in a specified position
stick your coat on this chair
- to fasten or be fastened by or as if by an adhesive substance
they won't stick
stick the pages together
- informal.tr to cause to become sticky
- when tr, usually passive to come or cause to come to a standstill
we were stuck for hours in a traffic jam
the wheels stuck
- intr to remain for a long time
the memory sticks in my mind
- slang.tr to tolerate; abide
I can't stick that man
- intr to be reluctant
- informal.tr; usually passive to cause to be at a loss; baffle, puzzle, or confuse
I was totally stuck for an answer
- slang.tr to force or impose something unpleasant on
they stuck me with the bill for lunch
- tr to kill by piercing or stabbing
- stick in one's throat or stick in one's craw informal.to be difficult, or against one's conscience, for one to accept, utter, or believe
- stick one's nose intoSee nose
- stick to the ribs informal.(of food) to be hearty and satisfying
noun
- the state or condition of adhering
- informal.a substance causing adhesion
- obsolete.something that causes delay or stoppage
stick
2/ stɪk /
noun
- a small thin branch of a tree
- any long thin piece of wood
- such a piece of wood having a characteristic shape for a special purpose
a walking stick
a hockey stick
- a baton, wand, staff, or rod
- an object or piece shaped like a stick
a stick of celery
a stick of dynamite
- See control stick
- informal.the lever used to change gear in a motor vehicle
- nautical a mast or yard
- printing See composing stick
- a group of bombs arranged to fall at intervals across a target
- a number of paratroops jumping in sequence
- slang.
- verbal abuse, criticism
I got some stick for that blunder
- physical power, force (esp in the phrase give it some stick )
- usually plural a piece of furniture
these few sticks are all I have
- informal.plural a rural area considered remote or backward (esp in the phrase in the sticks )
- informal.plural the wooded interior part of the country
- plural hockey a declaration made by the umpire if a player's stick is above the shoulders
- plural goalposts
- obsolete.a cannabis cigarette
- a means of coercion
- informal.a dull boring person
- informal.usually preceded by old a familiar name for a person
not a bad old stick
- in a cleft stickin a difficult position
- wrong end of the sticka complete misunderstanding of a situation, explanation, etc
verb
- to support (a plant) with sticks; stake
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Other Words From
- stickless adjective
- sticklike adjective
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Word History and Origins
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Word History and Origins
Origin of stick1
Origin of stick2
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Idioms and Phrases
- short / dirty end of the stick, Slang. the least desirable assignment, decision, or part of an arrangement.
- stick it out, to endure something patiently to the end or its completion:
It was a long, dusty trip but we stuck it out.
- stick it to (someone), Slang. to take advantage of; treat unfairly.
- stick it up your / one's ass, Slang: Vulgar. shove 1( def ).
- stick it, Slang: Often Vulgar. shove 1( def ).
- stick to the / one's ribs, to be substantial and nourishing, as a hearty meal:
Hot cereal sticks to your ribs on those cold winter mornings.
- stick one's neck out. neck ( def 23 ).
- stick to one's guns. gun 1( def 19 ).
More idioms and phrases containing stick
- carrot and stick
- get on the stick
- make stick
- more than one can shake a stick at
- short end of the stick
- stand (stick) up for
- wrong end of the stick
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Synonym Study
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Example Sentences
Added to drinking water at concentrations of around one part per million, fluoride ions stick to dental plaque.
He wore white gloves, a dignified long black coat, and matching pants and vest, and he carried a dark walking stick.
After some animated debate at the conference, Lelaie declared, with some frustration, “If you push on the stick, you will fly.”
The birds poop all over the forest, and thanks to the viscin, the mistletoe seeds in said poop stick to branches.
And for Larry Flynt, this might be a monumental opportunity to stick it to the dictator the best way he knows how.
You see, they always butter their chairs so that they won't stick fast when they sit down.
Whoever succeeded in getting the ring on his stick won the game, and carried the prize home as a sign of victory.
By using his walking stick he discovered that they formed a trail to a point in the wall.
I am not informed further; but inasmuch as you are living on the place, my advice is that you stick right there, and hold it.
The last time I tried it, I caught the end of my stick between two rocks and it broke.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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