stake Hear it!

stake Definition

stake (stāk)

noun

  1. a length of wood or metal pointed at one end for driving into the ground, as for marking a boundary, supporting a plant, etc.
    1. the post to which a person was tied for execution by burning
    2. execution by burning
  3. a pole or post fitted upright into a socket, as at the edge of a railway flatcar, truck bed, etc. to help hold a load
  4. something, esp. money, bet, as in a wager, game, or contest
  5. a reward given a winner, as in a race; prize
  6. a race in which a prize is offered
  7. a share or interest, as in property, a person, or a business venture
  8. ☆ Mormon Ch. a geographical area made up of a number of wards
  9. ☆ Informal grubstake

Etymology: ME < OE staca, akin to Frank *stakka: see stick

transitive verb staked, stak′·ing

  1. ☆
    1. to mark the location or boundaries of with or as with stakes
    2. to establish (a claim) in this way: often with out
  2. to support (a plant, etc.) by tying to a stake
  3. to hitch or tether to a stake

  4. Etymology: infl. by MDu staken, to fix, place

    to risk or hazard; gamble; bet
  5. Informal to furnish with money or resources
  6. ☆ Informal grubstake

stake Idioms

at stake

being risked or hazarded; in danger of being lost, injured, etc.

pull up stakes

☆

Informal to change one's place of residence, business, etc.

stake out

  1. to station (police officers, detectives, etc.) for surveillance of a suspected criminal, a place, etc.
  2. to put (a suspected criminal, a place, etc.) under such surveillance

stake up

or stake in

to close up (or in) with a fence of stakes

stake Synonyms

stake

n.

rod, paling, pale; see post 1, stick.

at stake

at issue, in danger, risked, at risk, involved, in question, concerned, implicated; see also endangered.

pull up stakes*

depart, move, decamp; see leave 1.

stake Finance Definition

An ownership interest that one company acquires in another that represents less than 100 percent ownership. A company takes a stake in another company in order to obtain the rights to a product or territory that will strategically help it. Companies are willing to sell stakes in themselves for a cash infusion or to partner with a larger competitor and thus improve their relative standing in the market. Often, stakes are popular ways to expand overseas and give both companies an opportunity to work together before considering whether a merger would be appropriate. However, just because a company takes a stake in another one doesn’t mean that a merger will be the next step.

stake Usage Examples

Object

claim: Spending vast amounts of money to stake a claim in this fledgling market.

Converse of object

  • acquire: They offer the chance for employees to acquire a stake in the ownership of the company for which they work.
  • raise: Raise the stakes by playing wirelessly against your friends.
  • multiply: Should the horse finish first, the punter wins the stake multiplied by the SP of the horse.
  • retain: Options include offering shareholder fans the chance to retain a small stake in the club.
  • buy: To invest in shares is to buy a stake in the future of UK plc.

Preposition: as

heretic: After many successful battles she was captured and betrayed to the English who burned her at the stake as a heretic.

Adjective modifier

  • controlling: Leach steadfastly refused to pitch the idea to the BBC, as they would require a controlling stake in the project.
  • wooden: These consisted of ditches with the earth piled up to form a bank into which wooden stakes were driven.
  • sizeable: Success will be rewarded with a sizeable stake in the company.
  • unlimited: There will not be unlimited stakes and prizes on all of those, of course, because we could not afford that.
  • remaining: Mandaric is due to sell his remaining stake in Pompey to joint-owner Alexandre Gaydamak for £ 32m.

Modifies a noun

holder: DfT were hoping to convene a meeting of the stake holders set out in the Forum's road safety report shortly.

Noun used with modifier

  • cent: The Spanish company's 50 per cent stake in Bristol Airport could exchange hands for about £ 106 million.
  • equity: Once they have agreed a deal with the vendors, only then will they decide on the management's equity stake.
  • popularity: Le Lac ( Tignes 2100m ) Le Lac gives Val Claret a run for its money in the popularity stakes.
  • percent: Monsanto holds a 26 percent stake in Mahyco, according to published reports.
  • minority: European Acquisition Capital have invested for a minority stake.
  • glamor: I've been to Barcelona and - just a tinier bit down on the international glamor stakes - Lytham St Annes.

Preposition: for

heresy: Some refused to change and they were burned at the stake for heresy.