stick
stick
(stĭk) noun
1.
A long, slender piece of wood, especially: a. A branch or stem cut from a tree or shrub. b. A piece of wood, such as a tree branch, that is used for fuel, cut for lumber, or shaped for a specific purpose. c. A wand, staff, baton, or rod. d. Sports & Games. Any of various implements shaped like a rod and used in play: a hockey stick.
2.
A walking stick; a cane.
3.
Something slender and often cylindrical in form: a stick of dynamite.
4.
Slang. A marijuana cigarette.
5. a. The control device of an aircraft that operates the elevators and ailerons. b. Informal. A stick shift.
6. Nautical. A mast or a part of a mast.
7. Printing. a. A composing stick. b. A stickful.
8. a. A group of bombs released to fall across an enemy target in a straight row. b. Slang. A group of paratroopers exiting an aircraft in succession.
9. A timber tree.
10. Informal. A piece of furniture.
11. A poke, thrust, or stab with a stick or similar object: a stick in the ribs.
12. A threatened penalty: using both a carrot and a stick to keep allies in line.
13. The condition or power of adhering: a glue with plenty of stick.
14. sticks Informal. a. A remote area; backwoods: moved to the sticks. b. A city or town regarded as dull or unsophisticated.
15. Informal. A person regarded as stiff, boring, or spiritless.
16. Archaic. A difficulty or an obstacle; a delay.
verb
stuck (stŭk), sticking, sticks
verb
, transitive
1.
To pierce, puncture, or penetrate with a pointed instrument.
2.
To kill by piercing.
3.
To thrust or push (a pointed instrument) into or through another object.
4.
To fasten into place by forcing an end or point into something: stick a hook on the wall.
5.
To fasten or attach with or as if with pins, nails, or similar devices.
6.
To fasten or attach with an adhesive material, such as glue or tape.
7.
To cover or decorate with objects piercing the surface.
8.
To fix, impale, or transfix on a pointed object: stick an olive on a toothpick.
9.
To put, thrust, or push: stuck a flower in his buttonhole; sticking her head out the window.
10.
To detain or delay.
11.
past tense and past participle sticked (stĭkt) To prop (a plant) with sticks or brush on which to grow.
12.
past tense and past participle sticked Printing. To set (type) in a composing stick.
13. Informal. To confuse, baffle, or puzzle: Sometimes even simple questions stick me.
14. To cover or smear with something sticky.
15. Informal. To put blame or responsibility on; burden: stuck me with the bill.
16. Slang. To defraud or cheat: The dealer stuck me with shoddy merchandise.
verb
, intransitive
1.
To be or become fixed or embedded in place by having the point thrust in.
2.
To become or remain attached or in close association by or as if by adhesion; cling: stick together in a crowd; stuck with me on the unfamiliar trail.
3.
a. To remain firm, determined, or resolute: stuck to basic principles. b. To remain loyal or faithful: stick by a friend through difficult times. c. To persist or endure: a bad name that has stuck.
4. To scruple or hesitate: She sticks at nothingno matter how difficult.
5. To be at or come to a standstill; become fixed, blocked, checked, or obstructed: stuck in traffic for an hour.
6. To project or protrude: hair sticking out on his head; an antenna sticking up on the roof.
phrasal verb.
stick around Informal
To remain; linger. stick out
1.
To be prominent.
2.
Informal. To put up with: had to stick out a bad situation in the office.
stick up
To rob, especially at gunpoint.
idiom.
be stuck on Informal
To be very fond of.
stick it to Slang
To treat severely or wrongfully.
stick (one's) neck out Informal
To make oneself vulnerable; take a risk.
stick to one's guns or by one's guns
To hold fast to an opinion or a set course of action.
stick to (one's) knitting Informal
To mind one's own business.
stick to (one's) ribs Informal
To be substantial or filling. Used of food.
stick up for
To defend or support.
[Middle English stikke, from Old English sticca.]