/ stɪk; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
( stuck , stuck / stʌk; NAmE /)
PUSH STH IN
1.
[+ adv. / prep. ] to push sth, usually a sharp object, into sth; to be pushed into sth :
[ vn ]
The nurse stuck the needle into my arm.
Don't stick your fingers through the bars of the cage.
[ v ]
I found a nail sticking in the tyre.
ATTACH
2.
[+ adv. / prep. ] to fix sth to sth else, usually with a sticky substance; to become fixed to sth in this way :
[ vn ]
He stuck a stamp on the envelope.
We used glue to stick the broken pieces together.
I stuck the photos into an album.
[ v ]
Her wet clothes were sticking to her body.
The glue's useless—the pieces just won't stick.
PUT
3.
[ vn + adv. / prep. ] ( informal ) to put sth in a place, especially quickly or carelessly :
Stick your bags down there.
He stuck his hands in his pockets and strolled off.
Can you stick this on the noticeboard?
Peter stuck his head around the door and said, 'Coffee, anyone?'
( informal )
Stick 'em up! (= put your hands above your head—I have a gun)
4.
sb can stick sth ( informal ) [ vn ] used to say in a rude and angry way that you are not interested in what sb has, offers, does, etc. :
I got sick of my boss's moaning and told him he could stick the job.
BECOME FIXED
5.
[ v ] stick (in sth) to become fixed in one position and impossible to move
SYN jam :
The key has stuck in the lock.
This drawer keeps sticking.
DIFFICULT SITUATION
6.
( BrE , informal ) (usually used in negative sentences and questions) to accept a difficult or unpleasant situation or person
SYN stand :
[ vn ]
I don't know how you stick that job.
The problem is, my mother can't stick my boyfriend.
[ v -ing ]
John can't stick living with his parents.
BECOME ACCEPTED
7.
[ v ] to become accepted :
The police couldn't make the charges stick (= show them to be true) .
His friends called him Bart and the name has stuck (= has become the name that everyone calls him) .
IN CARD GAMES
8.
[ v ] to not take any more cards
—see also stuck
•
IDIOMS
- stick in your mind
- stick in your throat / craw
- stick your neck out
- stick to your guns
—more at boot noun , finger noun , knife noun , mile , mud , nose noun , oar , sore adjective , tell
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- stick around
- stick at sth
- stick by sb
- stick by sth
- stick sth down
- stick out
- stick out (of sth) | stick sth out (of sth)
- stick it / sth out
- stick out for sth
- stick to sth
- stick together
- stick up
- stick up for sb / yourself / sth
- stick with sb/sth
■ noun
FROM TREE
1.
[ C ] a thin piece of wood that has fallen or been broken from a tree :
We collected dry sticks to start a fire.
The boys were throwing sticks and stones at the dog.
Her arms and legs were like sticks (= very thin) .
FOR WALKING
2.
[ C ] ( especially BrE ) = walking stick :
The old lady leant on her stick as she talked.
—see also shooting stick , white stick
IN SPORT
3.
[ C ] a long thin object that is used in some sports to hit or control the ball :
a hockey stick
LONG THIN PIECE
4.
[ C ] (often in compounds) a long thin piece of sth :
a stick of dynamite
carrot sticks
( NAmE )
a stick of butter
—see also French stick
5.
[ C ] (often in compounds) a thin piece of wood or plastic that you use for a particular purpose :
pieces of pineapple on sticks
—see also chopstick , cocktail stick , drumstick , matchstick , yardstick
OF GLUE, etc.
6.
[ C ] a quantity of a substance, such as solid glue, that is sold in a small container with round ends and straight sides, and can be pushed further out of the container as it is used
—see also lipstick
IN PLANE / VEHICLE
7.
[ C ] ( informal , especially NAmE ) the control stick of a plane
—see also joystick
8.
[ C ] ( informal , especially NAmE ) a handle used to change the gears of a vehicle
—see also gear lever , stick shift
FOR ORCHESTRA
9.
[ C ] a baton , used by the person who conducts an orchestra
CRITICISM
10.
[ U ] ( BrE , informal ) criticism or severe words :
The referee got a lot of stick from the home fans.
COUNTRY AREAS
11.
the sticks [ pl. ] ( informal ) country areas, a long way from cities :
We live out in the sticks .
PERSON
12.
[ C ] ( old-fashioned , BrE , informal ) a person :
He's not such a bad old stick .
HELP NOTE : There are many other compounds ending in stick . You will find them at their place in the alphabet.
•
IDIOMS
see beat verb , big adjective , carrot , cleft adjective , short adjective , up verb , wrong adjective
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun Old English sticca peg, stick, spoon , of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch stek cutting from a plant and German Stecken staff, stick.
verb Old English stician , of Germanic origin; related to German sticken embroider, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek stizein to prick, stigma a mark and Latin instigare spur on. Early senses included pierce and remain fixed (by its embedded pointed end) .