I. stuck 1 /stʌk/ BrE AmE
the past tense and past participle of ↑ stick 1
II. stuck 2 BrE AmE adjective [not before noun]
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ sticky , ↑ stuck , ↑ unstuck , ↑ non-stick ; noun : ↑ sticker , ↑ stickiness ; verb : ↑ stick ]
1 . impossible or unable to move from a particular position:
Sara tried to open the window but it was stuck.
They got stuck in a traffic jam.
stuck in
The boat was stuck in the mud.
I’ve got something stuck in my throat.
2 . informal unable to escape from a bad or boring situation
stuck in/at
Mum resented being stuck at home with two young kids.
We could be stuck in this place for days.
3 . informal unable to do any more of something that you are working on because it is too difficult:
Can you help me with my homework, Dad? I’m stuck.
stuck on
If you get stuck on a difficult word, just ask for help.
4 . be stuck with something informal to have something you do not want because you cannot get rid of it:
We are, unfortunately, stuck with this huge, ugly building.
5 . be stuck with somebody to have to spend time with someone or have a relationship with them, even though you do not want to:
They are stuck with each other with no end in sight.
6 . be stuck for something to be unable to think what to say or do:
For once Anthony was stuck for words (=did not know what to say) .
7 . get stuck in/get stuck into something British English spoken to start doing something eagerly and with a lot of energy:
Take your jacket off and get stuck in!
8 . be stuck on somebody informal to be attracted to someone:
He says he’s stuck on me.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ stuck [not before noun] fixed or trapped in a particular position or place and unable to move or be moved:
I can’t open this drawer – it’s stuck.
|
Sorry I’m late – I got stuck in traffic.
▪ jammed [not before noun] stuck and impossible to move – used especially about parts of a machine, or something trapped between two surfaces:
The photocopier is jammed again.
|
I put in a 50p coin but it got jammed in the slot.
▪ entangled [not before noun] twisted together and unable to be separated – used especially about things such as hair, wire, or string getting caught around something:
The chain of her necklace was entangled in her hair.
|
Swimming in the river is dangerous because you might get entangled in the weeds.
▪ stranded stuck and unable to move from or leave a place – used about people, vehicles, and animals:
Hundreds of motorists were left stranded by the snowstorms.
|
We were stranded at Moscow airport.
|
The jellyfish were stranded on the beach.
▪ beached stuck in shallow water or on the shore, and unable to move – used about whales, sea creatures, and boats:
They helped push the beached whale back into the sea.
|
the owner of the beached vessel