Top Definitions
Synonyms
Quiz
Related Content
Examples
British
Scientific
Cultural
Idioms And Phrases

stock

[ stok ]

/ stɒk /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: stock / stocked / stocker / stocking on Thesaurus.com

noun

a supply of goods kept on hand for sale to customers by a merchant, distributor, manufacturer, etc.; inventory.

a quantity of something accumulated, as for future use: a stock of provisions.

livestock.

Theater. a stock company: a job in summer stock.

Finance.

the outstanding capital of a company or corporation.
the shares of a particular company or corporation.
the certificate of ownership of such stock; stock certificate.
(formerly) a tally or stick used in transactions between a debtor and a creditor.

Horticulture.

Also called understock. in grafting, a stem in which the bud or scion is inserted.
a stem, tree, or plant that furnishes slips or cuttings; stock plant.

the trunk or main stem of a tree or other plant, as distinguished from roots and branches.

the type from which a group of animals or plants has been derived.

a species or other related group of animals or plants.

the person from whom a given line of descent is derived; the original progenitor.

Anthropology. a line of descent or lineage; a racial or ethnic group.

Linguistics. a category consisting of language families that, because of resemblances in grammatical structure and vocabulary, are considered likely to be related by common origin.Compare family (def. 16), phylum (def. 2).

any grouping of related languages.

the handle of a whip, fishing rod, etc.

Firearms.

the wooden or metal piece to which the barrel and mechanism of a rifle are attached.
a part of an automatic weapon, as a machine gun, similar in position or function.

the trunk or stump of a tree, left standing.

a dull or stupid person.

something lifeless or senseless.

the main upright part of anything, especially a supporting structure.

stocks,

a former instrument of punishment consisting of a framework with holes for securing the ankles and, sometimes, the wrists, used to expose an offender to public derision.Compare pillory (def. 1).
a frame in which a horse or other animal is secured in a standing position for shoeing or for a veterinary operation.
the frame on which a boat rests while under construction.

Nautical.

a vertical shaft forming part of a rudder and controlling the rudder's movement.
a transverse piece of wood or metal near the ring on some anchors.

the metal or wooden body of a carpenter's plane.

Metallurgy.

material being smelted in a blast furnace.
a metal piece to be forged.

Printing.

a specified quality or kind of paper: glossy stock;card stock;offset stock.
the paper for printing a particular job: We don't have enough stock for that large a run.

the raw material from which something is made.

Papermaking. stuff (def. 15).

Cooking. the liquor or broth prepared by boiling meat, fish, chicken, etc., with or without vegetables or seasonings, and used especially as a foundation for soups and sauces.

any of several plants belonging to the genus Matthiola, of the mustard family, especially M. incana, having fragrant white, blue, purple, reddish, or yellowish flowers.

a rhizome or rootstock.

Zoology. a compound organism, as a colony of corals.

a collar or a neckcloth fitting like a band around the neck.

Cards. the portion of a pack of cards that, in certain games, is not dealt out to the players, but is left on the table, to be drawn from as occasion requires.

an adjustable wrench for holding dies for cutting screws.

Railroads. rolling stock.

Dominoes. boneyard (def. 3).

Informal. stock car (def. 1).

Roman Catholic Church. one of a set of three metal containers for holy oil.

Geology, Mining. an irregular igneous intrusion, usually an offshoot of a batholith, often mineralized.

Archaic. a stocking.

Obsolete. the frame of a plow to which the share, handles, etc., are attached.

adjective

kept regularly on hand, as for use or sale; staple; standard: stock articles.

having as one's job the care of a concern's goods: a stock clerk.

of the common or ordinary type; in common use: a stock argument.

banal; commonplace: a stock remark.

pertaining to or designating the breeding and raising of livestock: stock farming.

Southern U.S. (chiefly Southern Appalachian and South Atlantic States). (of farm animals) being a fully grown male: a stock hog.

of or relating to the stock of a company or corporation: a stock report.

Theater.

pertaining to a stock company.
appearing together in a repertoire, as a company.
forming part of a repertoire, as a play.
being a character type fixed by convention, as in the commedia dell'-arte, a harlequinade, minstrel show, or the like.

Informal. of, relating to, or characteristic of a stock car.

verb (used with object)

to furnish with a stock or supply.

to furnish with stock, as a farm with horses, cattle, etc.

to lay up in store, as for future use.

to fasten to or provide with a stock, as a rifle, plow, bell, anchor, etc.

to put in the stocks as a punishment.

verb (used without object)

to lay in a stock of something (often followed by up).

OTHER WORDS FOR stock

1 store, provisions, reserve.

14 haft.

43 usual.

See synonyms for stock on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about stock

in stock, on hand for use or sale: There are no more blue skirts in stock.

lock, stock, and barrel. lock¹ (def. 30).

on the stocks,

under construction, as especially a ship.
in progress or preparation: a new novel on the stocks.

out of stock, lacking a supply of, especially temporarily: We are out of stock in this item.

take / put stock in, to put confidence in or attach importance to; believe; trust: Considering his general unreliability, I can't take stock in what he has told you.

take stock,

to make an inventory of stock on hand.
to make an appraisal of resources or prospects: She took stock of her decorating scheme and decided it was time for a change.

Origin of stock

before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English stoc(c) stump, stake, post, log; cognate with German Stock,Old Norse stokkr tree-trunk; (v.) derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM stock

stocklike, adjectivede·stock, verb (used with object)non·stock, noun, adjectivepre·stock, noun, verb (used with object)

substock, nounun·stocked, adjectivewell-stocked, adjective

Words nearby stock

stoccado, stochastic, stochastic matrix, stochastic terrorism, stochastic variable, stock, stockade, stockade fence, stock and station agent, stock book, stock boy

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

How to use stock in a sentence

The stock closed at $253, more than double the $120 the price at which the company and its bankers initially valued them.
Investors in Snowflake’s IPO should prepare for a second-day slump|Oliver Staley|September 17, 2020|Quartz
Taking the company public in 2012 at a valuation of about $2 billion, ServiceNow today has a stock market value of almost $90 billion.
Meet Snowflake, one of the buzziest tech IPOs ever|Aaron Pressman|September 15, 2020|Fortune
As for value stocks, investors are getting the message on that front too.
Is M&A back? Investors hope so, and that’s lifting global stocks|Bernhard Warner|September 15, 2020|Fortune
The worst crash in the company’s stock was a plunge of almost 95%.
Why even the best stocks have to crash|Ben Carlson|September 13, 2020|Fortune

Nikola's stock lost 11 percent on Thursday and is down an additional 15 percent in Friday morning trading.
Nikola stock craters after chairman fails to rebut fraud allegations|Timothy B. Lee|September 11, 2020|Ars Technica
In our headlong quest for a legally perfect society, we don’t take the time to take stock of what‘s been created so far.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans|Philip K. Howard|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If his 20s were about traveling and his 30s “about taking stock,” he hopes his 40s will be about “building and expanding.”
William, Kate, and Jay Z’s Favorite Art Star: Alexander Gilkes' World of Rock Stars and Royalty|Tim Teeman|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The obnoxious meddling journalist is a stock character in fiction.
I Blame People Who Blame the Media: Robert McCulloch’s Tone-Deaf Speech|Arthur Chu|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On Friday, the stock market hit new highs—even as wages were stagnating.
With Immigration Move, Obama and the Welfare Party Strike Again|Lloyd Green|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yes, the stock market is booming but overwhelmingly Americans are unhappy with their economic situation—and for good reason.
Voters Remind D.C. That the Economy Still Sucks|Stuart Stevens|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Neither privately owned nor government stock is entitled to voting power.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
I didn't take much stock in the yarn at the time, but I'm beginning to think he had it straight.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
One day she had heard a man say, "If there is a drought we shall have the devil to pay with our stock before winter is over."
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
Cotton exchanges reopened on November 16, and stock exchanges opened for restricted trading shortly thereafter.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
The white ranchmen in the valley were all fencing in their lands; no more free running of stock.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson

British Dictionary definitions for stock

stock

/ (stɒk) /

noun

(sometimes plural) the total goods or raw material kept on the premises of a shop or business
(as modifier)a stock clerk; stock book

a supply of something stored for future usehe keeps a good stock of whisky

finance

the capital raised by a company through the issue and subscription of shares entitling their holders to dividends, partial ownership, and usually voting rights
the proportion of such capital held by an individual shareholder
the shares of a specified company or industry
(formerly) the part of an account or tally given to a creditor
the debt represented by this

standing or status

farm animals, such as cattle and sheep, bred and kept for their meat, skins, etc
(as modifier)stock farming

the trunk or main stem of a tree or other plant

horticulture

a rooted plant into which a scion is inserted during grafting
a plant or stem from which cuttings are takenSee also rootstock

the original type from which a particular race, family, group, etc, is derived

a race, breed, or variety of animals or plants

(often plural) a small pen in which a single animal can be confined

a line of descent

any of the major subdivisions of the human species; race or ethnic group

the part of a rifle, sub-machine-gun, etc, into which the barrel and firing mechanism is set: held by the firer against the shoulder

the handle of something, such as a whip or fishing rod

the main body of a tool, such as the block of a plane

short for diestock, gunstock, rolling stock

(formerly) the part of a plough to which the irons and handles were attached

the main upright part of a supporting structure

a liquid or broth in which meat, fish, bones, or vegetables have been simmered for a long time

film material before exposure and processing

metallurgy

a portion of metal cut from a bar upon which a specific process, such as forging, is to be carried out
the material that is smelted in a blast furnace

Also called: gillyflower any of several plants of the genus Matthiola, such as M. incana and M. bicornis (evening or night-scented stock), of the Mediterranean region, cultivated for their brightly coloured flowers: Brassicaceae (crucifers)

Virginian stock a similar and related North American plant, Malcolmia maritima

a long usually white neckcloth wrapped around the neck, worn in the 18th century and as part of modern riding dress

cards a pile of cards left after the deal in certain games, from which players draw

the repertoire of plays available to a repertory company
(as modifier)a stock play

(on some types of anchors) a crosspiece at the top of the shank under the ring

the centre of a wheel

an exposed igneous intrusion that is smaller in area than a batholith

a log or block of wood

See laughing stock

an archaic word for stocking

in stock

stored on the premises or available for sale or use
supplied with goods of a specified kind

out of stock

not immediately available for sale or use
not having goods of a specified kind immediately available

take stock

to make an inventory
to make a general appraisal, esp of prospects, resources, etc

take stock in to attach importance to

lock, stock, and barrel See lock 1 (def. 7)

adjective

staple, standardstock sizes in clothes

(prenominal) being a cliché; hackneyeda stock phrase

verb

(tr) to keep (goods) for sale

(intr; usually foll by up or up on) to obtain a store of (something) for future use or saleto stock up on beer

(tr) to supply with live animals, fish, etcto stock a farm

(intr) (of a plant) to put forth new shoots

(tr) obsolete to punish by putting in the stocks

Derived forms of stock

stocker, noun

Word Origin for stock

Old English stocc trunk (of a tree), stem, stick (the various senses developed from these meanings, as trunk of a tree, hence line of descent; structures made of timber; a store of timber or other goods for future use, hence an aggregate of goods, animals, etc); related to Old Saxon, Old High German stock stick, stump

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

Scientific definitions for stock

stock

[ stŏk ]

The trunk or main stem of a tree or another plant.

A plant or stem onto which a graft is made.

A plant or tree from which cuttings and scions are taken.

Cultural definitions for stock

stock

A share in the ownership of a corporation.

Other Idioms and Phrases with stock

stock

see in stock; lock, stock, and barrel; make a laughing stock of; take stock; take stock in.

stock

OTHER WORDS FOR stock

Idioms about stock

Origin of stock

OTHER WORDS FROM stock

Words nearby stock

Words related to stock

How to use stock in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for stock

Derived forms of stock

Word Origin for stock

Scientific definitions for stock

Cultural definitions for stock

Other Idioms and Phrases with stock