grubstake

American

[gruhb-steyk] / ˈgrʌbˌsteɪk /

noun

provisions, gear, etc., furnished to a prospector on condition of participating in the profits of any discoveries.
money or other assistance furnished at a time of need or of starting an enterprise.

verb (used with object)

grubstaked, grubstaking

to furnish with a grubstake.

I grubstaked him to two mules and supplies enough for five months.

grubstake British

/ ˈɡrʌbˌsteɪk /

noun

informal supplies provided for a prospector on the condition that the donor has a stake in any finds

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

informal to furnish with such supplies
to supply (a person) with a stake in a gambling game

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

grubstaker

noun

Etymology

Origin of grubstake

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65; grub + stake ²

Vocabulary lists containing grubstake

Selection Vocabulary 3, Unit 1

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023