stub

¹ American  

[stuhb] / stʌb /

adjective

1. stocky; squat.

---

stub ² American  

[stuhb] / stʌb /

noun

1. a short projecting part.

2. a short remaining piece, as of a pencil, candle, or cigar.

3. (in a checkbook, receipt book, etc.) the inner end of each leaf, for keeping a record of the content of the part filled out and torn away.

4. the returned portion of a ticket.

5. the end of a fallen tree, shrub, or plant left fixed in the ground; stump.

6. something having a short, blunt shape, especially a short-pointed, blunt pen.

7. stub nail.

8. something having the look of incomplete or stunted growth, as a horn of an animal.

9. Bridge. a part-score.

---

verb (used with object)

stubbed, stubbing

1. to strike accidentally against a projecting object.

   I stubbed my toe against the step.

2. to extinguish the burning end of (a cigarette or cigar) by crushing it against a solid object (often followed byout ).

   He stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray.

3. to clear of stubs, as land.

4. to dig up by the roots; grub up (roots).

stub British  

/ stʌb /

noun

1. a short piece remaining after something has been cut, removed, etc

   a cigar stub

2. the residual piece or section of a receipt, ticket, cheque, etc

3. the part of a cheque, postal order, receipt, etc, detached and retained as a record of the transaction Also called (in Britain) counterfoil

4. any short projection or blunted end

5. the stump of a tree or plant

---

verb

1. to strike (one's toe, foot, etc) painfully against a hard surface

2. (usually foll by out) to extinguish (a cigarette or cigar) by pressing the end against a surface

3. to clear (land) of stubs

4. to dig up (the roots) of (a tree or bush)

Other Word Forms

• stubber noun

Etymology

Origin of stub¹

First recorded in 1705–15; special use of stub ¹

Origin of stub¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English noun stubb(e), Old English stybb, stubb, stebb “tree stump”; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch stubbe, Old Norse stubbi; akin to Old Norse stūfr “stump”; the verb is derivative of the noun

Example Sentences

The prosecutor isn’t buying it, even after Catalan produces proof in the form of ticket stubs.

From Los Angeles Times

He wants ephemeral objects like ticket stubs and posters.

From Washington Post

The heavy gothic font of the German original was accompanied by the ghostly script of her English translation, written with a pencil stub.

From New York Times

At a time of booming interest in sports collectibles, Goldberg has found a niche as he pursues his goal of nabbing a ticket stub from each game of Jordan’s Hall of Fame playing career.

From New York Times

One Florida Democratic strategist, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to be candid, groused that the party has “no idea how to engage on this issue” and keeps “stubbing their foot.”

From Washington Post