I. stake 1 W3 /steɪk/ BrE AmE noun
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: staca 'sharp post' ]
1 . at stake if something that you value very much is at stake, you will lose it if a plan or action is not successful:
They have to win the contract – thousands of jobs are at stake.
National pride is at stake in next week’s game against England.
2 . COMPANY/BUSINESS [countable] if you have a stake in a business, you have ↑ invest ed money in it
hold/have a stake in something
He holds a 51% stake in the firm.
3 . have a stake in something if you have a stake in something, you will get advantages if it is successful, and you feel that you have an important connection with it:
Young people don’t feel they have a stake in the country’s future.
4 . MONEY RISKED [countable] money that you risk as the result of a horse race, card game etc:
For a dollar stake, you can win up to $1,000,000.
5 . high stakes
a) if the stakes are high when you are trying to do something, you risk losing a lot or it will be dangerous if you fail:
Climbing is a dangerous sport and the stakes are high.
b) if the stakes are high when you are doing something such as playing a card game, you risk losing a lot of money:
We’re playing for high stakes here.
6 . POINTED STICK [countable] a pointed piece of wood, metal etc, especially one that is pushed into the ground to support something or mark a particular place:
tent stakes
Drive two stakes into the ground about three feet apart.
7 . the stake a post to which a person was tied in former times before being killed by burning:
Suspected witches were burnt at the stake.
8 . in the popularity/fashion etc stakes used when saying how popular, fashionable etc someone or something is:
Ben wouldn’t score very highly in the popularity stakes.
9 . (be prepared to) go to the stake for/over something British English to be willing to do anything to protect or defend an idea or belief:
That’s my opinion, but I wouldn’t go to the stake for it.
10 . pull up stakes ( also up stakes British English ) informal to leave your job or home:
We’re going to pull up stakes and move to Montana.
II. stake 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1 . to risk losing something that is valuable or important to you on the result of something
stake something on somebody/something
Kevin is staking his reputation on the success of the project.
Jim staked his whole fortune on one card game.
2 . I’d stake my life on it spoken used when saying that you are completely sure that something is true, or that something will happen:
I’m sure that’s Jesse – I’d stake my life on it.
3 . ( also stake up ) to support something with stakes:
Young trees have to be staked.
4 . ( also stake off ) to mark or enclose an area of ground with stakes:
A corner of the field has been staked off.
5 . stake (out) a claim to say publicly that you think you have a right to have or own something
stake (out) a claim to
Both countries staked a claim to the islands.
stake something ↔ out phrasal verb informal
1 . to watch a place secretly and continuously ⇨ stakeout :
Police officers have been staking out the warehouse for weeks.
2 . to mark or control a particular area so that you can have it or use it:
We went to the show early to stake out a good spot.
3 . to state your opinions about something in a way that shows how your ideas are clearly separate from other people’s ideas:
Johnson staked out the differences between himself and the other candidates.