stick

[ stik ]

/ stɪk /

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See synonyms for: stick / sticking / sticks / stuck on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

a relatively long and slender piece of wood.

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

a rod or wand.

a baton.

Chiefly British. a walking stick or cane.

a club or cudgel.

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

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

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

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

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

Nautical. a mast or spar.

Printing. composing stick.

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.

Military.

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

Informal. stick shift.

Slang. a marijuana cigarette.

Informal. an unenthusiastic or uninteresting person.

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

verb (used with object), sticked, stick·ing.

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

Printing. to set (type) in a composing stick.

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Idioms about stick

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

Origin of stick

First recorded before 1000; Middle English stikke, stike, Old English sticca “stick, peg, spoon”; akin to Old High German stehho, Old Norse stik “stick”; akin to stick²

OTHER WORDS FROM stick

stickless, adjectivesticklike, adjective

Other definitions for stick (2 of 2)

stick²

[ stik ]

/ stɪk /

verb (used with object), stuck, stick·ing.

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

to kill by this means: to stick a pig.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Carpentry. to start (a nail).

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

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

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

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.

Informal. to cheat.

Slang: Often Vulgar. to go to hell with: often used imperatively.

verb (used without object), stuck, stick·ing.

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

to remain attached by adhesion.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

noun

a thrust with a pointed instrument; stab.

a stoppage or standstill.

something causing delay or difficulty.

the quality of adhering or of causing things to adhere.

something causing adhesion.

Verb Phrases

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

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

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

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

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR stick

1 penetrate, spear.

6 transfix.

9 pin.

12 glue, cement, paste.

29 stickle, waver, doubt.

See synonyms for stick on Thesaurus.com

Origin of stick

First recorded before 900; Middle English stiken, stikken, Old English stician “to pierce, thrust”; akin to German stechen “to sting,” Latin -stīg- in instīgāre “to urge, incite,” Greek stízein “to stitch, tattoo, brand”; see also stigma, stitch

synonym study for stick

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.

OTHER WORDS FROM stick

stick·a·ble, adjectivestick·a·bil·i·ty, nounre·stick·a·ble, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use stick in a sentence

Good governance would mean sticks and coal for too many of our favorite politicians.
Santa Fails One More Time|P. J. O’Rourke|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They played together, made spears from sticks and sharp rocks, chased chickens together.
Drawing on the Memories of Syrian Women|Masha Hamilton|November 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sticks and stones may break my bones / but chains and whips excite me.
Whip It: Secrets of a Dominatrix|Justin Jones|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the comic books, he sticks around at least until the group reaches the Alexandria Safe-Zone.
The Walking Dead’s ‘Crossed’: The Stage Is Now Set for a Bloody, Deadly Midseason Finale|Melissa Leon|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Saint Louis City police also spent $325,000 upgrading helmets, sticks and other civil disobedience equipment.
Ferguson Tensions in Black and White|Seth Ferranti|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He walked about, stumbling over sticks and stones and stumps, sometimes falling down on soft moss, and again on the hard ground.
Squinty the Comical Pig|Richard Barnum
Regular pitched battles were fought with sticks and staves and stones.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland|Joseph Tatlow
The boys were dragging along the banquette a small "express wagon," which they had filled with blocks and sticks.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
The black sticks resembling lollipops are said to be compounds of rum, bullocks' blood and tobacco lees.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
How I do wish sometimes to give Ritchie a jog, when there is some stumbling-block that he sticks fast at.
The Daisy Chain|Charlotte Yonge

British Dictionary definitions for stick (1 of 2)

stick¹

/ (stɪk) /

noun

a small thin branch of a tree

any long thin piece of wood
such a piece of wood having a characteristic shape for a special purposea walking stick; a hockey stick
a baton, wand, staff, or rod

an object or piece shaped like a sticka stick of celery; a stick of dynamite

See control stick

informal the lever used to change gear in a motor vehicle

nautical a mast or yard

printing See composing stick

a group of bombs arranged to fall at intervals across a target
a number of paratroops jumping in sequence

slang

verbal abuse, criticismI got some stick for that blunder
physical power, force (esp in the phrase give it some stick)

(usually plural) a piece of furniturethese few sticks are all I have

(plural) informal a rural area considered remote or backward (esp in the phrase in the sticks)

(plural) Canadian West coast and Northwestern Canadian informal the wooded interior part of the country

(plural) hockey a declaration made by the umpire if a player's stick is above the shoulders

(plural) goalposts

US obsolete a cannabis cigarette

a means of coercion

informal a dull boring person

(usually preceded by old) informal a familiar name for a personnot a bad old stick

in a cleft stick in a difficult position

wrong end of the stick a complete misunderstanding of a situation, explanation, etc

verb sticks, sticking or sticked

to support (a plant) with sticks; stake

Word Origin for stick

Old English sticca; related to Old Norse stikka, Old High German stecca

British Dictionary definitions for stick (2 of 2)

stick²

/ (stɪk) /

verb sticks, sticking or stuck

(tr) to pierce or stab with or as if with something pointed

to thrust or push (a sharp or pointed object) or (of a sharp or pointed object) to be pushed into or through another object

(tr) to fasten in position by pushing or forcing a point into somethingto stick a peg in a hole

(tr) to fasten in position by or as if by pins, nails, etcto stick a picture on the wall

(tr) to transfix or impale on a pointed object

(tr) to cover with objects piercing or set in the surface

(when intr, foll by out, up, through, etc) to put forward or be put forward; protrude or cause to protrudeto stick one's head out of the window

(tr) informal to place or put in a specified positionstick your coat on this chair

to fasten or be fastened by or as if by an adhesive substancestick the pages together; they won't stick

(tr) informal to cause to become sticky

(when tr, usually passive) to come or cause to come to a standstillwe were stuck for hours in a traffic jam; the wheels stuck

(intr) to remain for a long timethe memory sticks in my mind

(tr) slang, mainly British to tolerate; abideI can't stick that man

(intr) to be reluctant

(tr; usually passive) informal to cause to be at a loss; baffle, puzzle, or confuseI was totally stuck for an answer

(tr) slang to force or impose something unpleasant onthey stuck me with the bill for lunch

(tr) to kill by piercing or stabbing

stick in one's throat or stick in one's craw informal to be difficult, or against one's conscience, for one to accept, utter, or believe

stick one's nose into See nose (def. 17)

stick to the ribs informal (of food) to be hearty and satisfying

noun

the state or condition of adhering

informal a substance causing adhesion

obsolete something that causes delay or stoppage

Word Origin for stick

Old English stician; related to Old High German stehhan to sting, Old Norse steikja to roast on a spit

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 Idioms and Phrases with stick

stick

In addition to the idioms beginning with stick

stick around
stick at
stick by
stick in one's craw
stick it
stick it to someone
stick one's neck out
stick out
stick to
stick together
stick to one's guns
stick to one's last
stick to the ribs
stick up
stick up for
stick with
sticky fingers

also see:

carrot and stick
get on the stick
make stick
more than one can shake a stick at
short end of the stick
stand (stick) up for
wrong end of the stick

Also see understuck.

stick

Idioms about stick

Origin of stick

OTHER WORDS FROM stick

Other definitions for stick (2 of 2)

OTHER WORDS FOR stick

Origin of stick

synonym study for stick

OTHER WORDS FROM stick

Words related to stick

How to use stick in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for stick (1 of 2)

Word Origin for stick

British Dictionary definitions for stick (2 of 2)

Word Origin for stick

Other Idioms and Phrases with stick