stick Hear it!

stick Definition

stick (stik)

noun

  1. a long, usually slender piece of wood; specif.,
    1. a twig or small branch broken off or cut off, esp. a dead and dry one
    2. a tree branch of any size, used for fuel, etc.
    3. a long, slender, and usually tapering piece of wood shaped for a specific purpose, as a wand, staff, club, baton, cane, rod, etc.
  2. a stalk, as of celery
  3. something shaped like a stick; sticklike piece a stick of chewing gum
  4. a separate item; article every stick of furniture
  5. an implement used for striking a ball, puck, etc. a hockey stick
  6. something made of sticks, as a racing hurdle
  7. a sticking, as with a pointed weapon; stab
  8. anything, as a threat, used in compelling another
  9. stick shift
  10. a number of bombs, parachutists, etc. dropped from the air in such a way as to fall in a line across a target area
  11. Archaic a stoppage, delay, or obstacle
  12. Informal a dull, stupid, or spiritless person
  13. ☆ Slang a marijuana cigarette
  14. Aeron. joystick (sense )
  15. Naut. a mast or a part of a mast
  16. Printing a composing stick or its contents

Etymology: ME stikke < OE sticca, akin to Du stek, ON stik < IE base *steig-, a point > stake, Frank *stakka, Gr stigma, L instigare, instigate

transitive verb stuck, sticked, stick′·ing

  1. to pierce or puncture, as with a pointed instrument
  2. to kill by piercing; stab
  3. to pierce something with (a knife, pin, etc.)
  4. to thrust or push (in, into, out, etc.) to stick one's finger into a hole
  5. to set with piercing objects a cushion stuck with pins
    1. to fasten or attach as by gluing, pinning, etc. to stick a poster on a wall
    2. to decorate with things fastened in this way
    1. to transfix or impale
    2. to impale (insect specimens, etc.), as on a pin, and mount for exhibit
  8. to obstruct, entangle, bog down, etc.; also, to detain, delay, etc.: usually used in the passive the wheels were stuck; we were stuck in town

  9. Etymology: < stickthe

    1. to prop (a vine, etc.) with a stick or sticks
    2. Printing to set type in a composing stick
  10. Informal to place; put; set
  11. Informal to make sticky by smearing
  12. Informal to puzzle; baffle to be stuck by a question
  13. Slang
    1. to make pay, often exorbitantly
    2. to impose a disagreeable task, burden, expense, etc. upon
    3. to cheat or defraud
  14. Chiefly Brit., Informal to endure or tolerate

Etymology: combination of ME steken, to prick, fasten (< OE stecan) & ME stikien < OE stician, to stick, stab, prick: both akin to the n.

intransitive verb

  1. to be or remain fixed or embedded by a pointed end, as a nail, etc.
  2. to be or remain attached by adhesion; adhere; cleave
    1. to remain in the same place; stay; abide they stick at home
    2. to remain fixed in the memory
    3. to remain in effect to make the charges stick
  4. to remain in close association; be fixed; cling friends stick together; the nickname stuck
  5. to keep close to stick to a trail
  6. to persevere; persist to stick at a job
  7. to remain firm and resolute; endure they stuck through thick and thin
  8. to become fixed, blocked, lodged, etc. as by an obstacle; specif.,
    1. to become embedded and immovable a shoe stuck in the mud
    2. to become unworkable; jam the gears stuck
    3. to become stopped or delayed; come to a standstill a bill stuck in committee
  9. to be puzzled
  10. to be reluctant; hesitate; scruple a person who will stick at nothing
  11. to protrude, project, or extend (out, up, through, etc.)

stick Idioms

on the stick

☆

Slang alert, efficient, etc.

stick around

Slang to stay near at hand; not go away

stick by

or stick to

to remain faithful or loyal to

stick it out

Slang to carry on or endure something until it is ended

stick it to someone

Slang

to harshly criticize, punish, or retaliate against someone

stick to someone's ribs

☆

to be nourishing and satisfying: said of food

stick up

Slang to commit armed robbery upon

stick up for

Informal to support; uphold; defend

the sticks

☆

Informal the rural districts; hinterland

stick Synonyms

stick

n.

shoot, twig, branch, stem, stalk, rod, wand, staff, stave, walking stick, cane, matchstick, club, baton, drumstick, timber, cudgel, ferrule, pole, bludgeon, bat, birch, rule, ruler, stock, joist, shillelagh, truncheon, cue, billet, spar, mast; see also rod 1.

the sticks*

rural area, country, the back country, outlying districts, the boondocks*; see also country 1.

stick Synonyms

stick

v.

  1. To remain fastened

    adhere, cling, fasten, attach, cleave, unite, cohere, hold, stick together, hug, clasp, hold fast, stick like wax, stick like glue*, cling like a bur, cling like ivy, stick like a leech.

    Antonyms loosen*, let go, fall, come away.

  2. To penetrate with a point

    prick, impale, pierce; see penetrate 1, stab.

stick is the simple, general term here, implying attachment by gluing or fastening together, by close association, etc. to stick a stamp on a letter, to stick to a subject; adhere implies firm attachment and, of persons, denotes voluntary allegiance or devotion as to an idea, cause, or leader to adhere to a policy; cohere implies such close sticking together of parts as to form a single mass glue made the particles of sawdust cohere; cling implies attachment by embracing, entwining, or grasping with the arms, tendrils, etc. a vine clinging to the trellis; cleave implies a very close, firm attachment my tongue cleaved to the roof of my mouth, Ruth cleaved to Naomi

on the stick*

busy, alert, on the ball, moving, on the move.

stick Usage Examples

Object

  • plaster: The patch looks like a sticking plaster and is usually applied to the upper arm.
  • pin: I remember saying to Armstrong that one needed to stick pins into Maudling to get him to respond.
  • needle: Dr. Pentland said that he would prefer me to try the tablet form first, before he started sticking needles in me.
  • finger: I'm drawn to exhibits which outrage or stick two rebellious fingers up at the snotty art establishment.

Converse of object

  • shake: For someone good with leather, I'd consider Woolies who have more trim than you can shake a stick at.
  • wield: Now Sheriff Chris Vaughn, he wields a huge stick fashioned from lumber mill pine.

Preposition: into

  • skullracks: Physically how were the skulls stuck into the skullracks?

Adjective modifier

  • analog: Pick up controller 2 and have a play with the right analog stick whilst watching the effect.

Modifies a noun

  • insect: Fresh cut food for stick insects is available mail-order throughout the year.

Noun used with modifier

  • incense: In the base is a compartment, with a swing door, for incense stick storage.
  • cinnamon: Herbal Tea Floral - a ruby red herbal tea that blends crimson flowers with cinnamon sticks.
  • pogo: For instance, in the city and dock levels you can find skateboards, pogo sticks, cars and even boats and rockets.
  • hockey: McFarquhar goes on to claim that " Meanwhile the original data from which the hockey stick was derived cannot be extracted " .
  • cocktail: Garnish with a cherry on a cocktail stick across the glass.
  • celery: Garnish with a celery stick and a wedge of lime.

Preposition: in

  • rut: Are you stuck in a fitness rut and looking for some new ideas to renew progress?
  • mud: The gutters leaked, water oozed into the dairy, the cars got stuck in the mud, the children would not go outside.
  • jam: Still we all got stuck in the same traffic jam a few miles down the road.
  • warp: WE APPEAR TO BE stuck in a time warp of thinking.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • around: If they stick around for a few years they will sound even better because the singers voice hasn't broken yet.
stick Quotes

An aged man is but a paltry thing, A tattered coat upon a stick, unless Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing For every tatter in its mortal dress.

—Yeats,W(illiam) B(utler)

The final event to himself has been, that as he rose like a rocket, he fell like the stick.

—Paine,Thomas

I have a suspicion it's inevitable, but give me my stick. I'll face it.

—Leacock, Stephen Butler

What would father say when he found out? For he was bound to find out sooner or later. He always did.'Buried. You two girls had me buried!' She heard his stick thumping.Oh, what would they say? What possible excuse could they make? It sounded such an appallingly heartless thing to do. Such a wicked advantageto take of a person because he happened to be helpless at the moment.

—Beauchamp

   When the flush of a new-born sun fell first on Eden's green and gold, Our father Adamsat under theTree and scratched with a stick in the mould; And the first rude sketch that the world had seen was joy to his mighty heart, Till the Devilwhispered behind theleaves,'It'spretty, but is it Art?'

—Kipling, (Joseph) Rudyard

There is a homely adage that runs,'Speak softlyand carry a big stick, and you will go far.' If the American nation will speak softlyand yet build, and keep at a pitch of the highest training, the Monroe Doctrine will go far.

—Roosevelt,Theodore

Fly fishing may be a very pleasant amusement; but angling or float fishing I canonlycomparetoa stick and a string, with a worm at one end and a fool at the other.

—Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson

An absolute and unlimited right over any object of property would be the right to commit nearly every crime.If Ihad sucha right over thestick Iamaboutto cut, I might employ it as a mace to knock down the passengers, or I might convert it into a sceptre as an emblem of royalty, or into an idol to offend the national religion.

—Bentham,Jeremy

Quand l'eau courbe un ba"  ton, ma raison la redresse. When water curves a stick, my reason straightens it out.

—La Fontaine,Jean de