stick

stick¹

—stickless, adj. —sticklike, adj.

/stik/, n., v., sticked, sticking.

n.

1. a branch or shoot of a tree or shrub that has been cut or broken off.

2. a relatively long and slender piece of wood.

3. a long piece of wood for use as fuel, in carpentry, etc.

4. a rod or wand.

5. a baton.

6. Chiefly Brit. a walking stick or cane.

7. a club or cudgel.

8. something that serves to goad or coerce: The threat of unemployment was the stick that kept the workers toiling overtime. Cf. carrot (def. 3).

9. a long, slender piece or part of anything: a stick of candy; sticks of celery.

10. any of four equal parts in a pound of butter or margarine.

11. Sports. an implement used to drive or propel a ball or puck, as a crosse or a hockey stick.

12. Aeron. a lever, usually with a handle, by which the longitudinal and lateral motions of an airplane are controlled.

13. Naut. a mast or spar.

14. Print. See composing stick.

15. 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.

16. Mil.

a. a group of bombs so arranged as to be released in a row across a target.

b. the bomb load.

17. Informal. See stick shift.

18. Slang. a marijuana cigarette.

19. Informal. an unenthusiastic or uninteresting person.

20. Informal. a portion of liquor, as brandy, added to a nonalcoholic drink.

21. short or dirty end of the stick, Slang. the least desirable assignment, decision, or part of an arrangement.

v.t.

22. to furnish (a plant, vine, etc.) with a stick or sticks in order to prop or support.

23. Print. to set (type) in a composing stick.

[bef. 1000; ME stikke, OE sticca; akin to OHG stehho, ON stik stick; akin to STICK²]

stick²

—stickable, adj. —stickability n.

/stik/, v., stuck, sticking, n.

v.t.

1. to pierce or puncture with something pointed, as a pin, dagger, or spear; stab: to stick one's finger with a needle.

2. to kill by this means: to stick a pig.

3. to thrust (something pointed) in, into, through, etc.: to stick a needle into a pincushion.

4. to fasten in position by thrusting a point or end into something: to stick a peg in a pegboard.

5. to fasten in position by or as if by something thrust through: to stick a painting on the wall.

6. to put on or hold with something pointed; impale: to stick a marshmallow on a fork.

7. to decorate or furnish with things piercing the surface: to stick a cushion full of pins.

8. to furnish or adorn with things attached or set here and there: to stick shelves full of knickknacks.

9. to place upon a stick or pin for exhibit: to stick butterflies.

10. to thrust or poke into a place or position indicated: to stick one's head out of the window.

11. to place or set in a specified position; put: Stick the chair in the corner.

12. to fasten or attach by causing to adhere: to stick a stamp on a letter.

13. to bring to a standstill; render unable to proceed or go back (usually used in the passive): The car was stuck in the mud.

14. Carpentry. to start (a nail).

15. Ceram. to join (pieces of partially hardened clay) together, using slip as an adhesive.

16. Chiefly Brit. Informal. to tolerate; endure: He couldn't stick the job more than three days.

17. to confuse or puzzle; bewilder; perplex; nonplus: He was stuck by the very first problem on the test.

18. 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.

19. Informal. to cheat.

20. Slang (often vulgar). to go to hell with: often used imperatively.

v.i.

21. to have the point piercing or embedded in something: The arrow stuck in the tree.

22. to remain attached by adhesion.

23. to hold, cleave, or cling: The young rider stuck to the back of his terrified horse.

24. to remain persistently or permanently: a fact that sticks in the mind.

25. to remain firm, as in resolution, opinion, statement, or attachment; hold faithfully, as to a promise or bargain.

26. to keep or remain steadily or unremittingly, as to a task, undertaking, or the like: to stick to a job until it is finished.

27. to become fastened, hindered, checked, or stationary by some obstruction: Her zipper stuck halfway up.

28. to be at a standstill, as from difficulties: I'm stuck on this problem.

29. to be embarrassed or puzzled; hesitate or scruple (usually fol. by at).

30. to be thrust or placed so as to extend, project, or protrude (usually fol. by through, from, out, up, etc.).

31. stick around, Informal. to wait in the vicinity; linger: If you had stuck around, you'd have seen the fireworks.

32. stick by or to, to maintain one's attachment or loyalty to; remain faithful to: They vowed to stick by one another no matter what happened.

33. stick it, Slang (often vulgar). See shove¹ (def. 5).

34. stick it to (someone), Slang. to take advantage of; treat unfairly.

35. stick it out, to endure something patiently to the end or its completion: It was a long, dusty trip but we stuck it out.

36. stick it up your or one's ass, Slang (vulgar). See shove¹ (def. 6).

37. stick one's neck out. See neck (def. 20).

38. stick out, to extend; protrude: Stick out your tongue. Your shirttail is sticking out.

39. stick to one's guns. See gun¹ (def. 11).

40. stick to the or one's ribs, to be substantial and nourishing, as a hearty meal: Hot cereal sticks to your ribs on those cold winter mornings.

41. stick up, Informal. to rob, esp. at gunpoint: A lone gunman stuck up the gas station.

42. stick up for, to speak in favor of; come to the defense of; support: She always sticks up for him, even though he doesn't deserve it.

n.

43. a thrust with a pointed instrument; stab.

44. a stoppage or standstill.

45. something causing delay or difficulty.

46. the quality of adhering or of causing things to adhere.

47. something causing adhesion.

[bef. 900; ME stiken, OE stician to pierce, thrust; akin to G stechen to sting, L -stig- in instigare (see INSTIGATE), Gk stízein (see STIGMA)]

Syn. 1. penetrate, spear. 6. transfix. 9. pin. 12. glue, cement, paste. 22. STICK, ADHERE, COHERE mean to cling to or be tightly attached to something. ADHERE implies that one kind of material clings tenaciously to another; COHERE adds the idea that a thing is attracted to and held by something like itself: Particles of sealing wax cohere and form a mass that will adhere to tin. STICK, a more colloquial and general term, is used particularly when a third kind of material is involved: A gummed label will stick to a package. 29. stickle, waver, doubt.

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