stick at

verb

1. to continue constantly at

   to stick at one's work

2. to be prepared to do anything; be unscrupulous or ruthless

Idioms and Phrases

Scruple or hesitate, as in She sticks at nothing to gain her ends. This idiom, nearly always used in a negative context, was first recorded in 1525. Also see stop at nothing.

Example Sentences

One is that Trump has turned Theodore Roosevelt’s maxim to “speak softly and carry a big stick” on its head: He speaks loudly and carries barely any stick at all.

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Soon the group moved on to the California Buckwheat and Daniel added that “we have the most native plants in California for one county,” along with “more native bees than you can shake a stick at.”

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"I was enjoying the work, so I decided to stick at it," she said.

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And though Betts struggled last year — especially with his throws, which accounted for eight of his nine errors in just 65 games at shortstop — the Dodgers were betting on his perseverance, knowing he was determined to stick at the spot he hadn’t played full-time since high school.

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If Betts can stick at shortstop, it would free Tommy Edman to play more center field.

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Related Words

• advance 
• carry on 
• carry over 
• endure 
• extend 
• go on 
• last 
• linger 
• maintain 
• persist 
• progress 
• promote 
• pursue 
• reach 
• remain 
• stay 
• survive 
• sustain