/ steɪk; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a wooden or metal post that is pointed at one end and pushed into the ground in order to support sth, mark a particular place, etc.
2.
the stake [ sing. ] a wooden post that sb could be tied to in former times before being burnt to death (= killed by fire) as a punishment :
Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake .
3.
[ C ] money that sb invests in a company :
a 20% stake in the business
4.
[ sing. ] stake in sth an important part or share in a business, plan, etc. that is important to you and that you want to be successful :
She has a personal stake in the success of the play.
Many young people no longer feel they have a stake in society.
5.
[ C ] something that you risk losing, especially money, when you try to predict the result of a race, game, etc., or when you are involved in an activity that can succeed or fail :
How much was the stake (= how much did you bet) ?
They were playing cards for high stakes (= a lot of money) .
6.
stakes [ pl. ] the money that is paid to the winners in horse racing
7.
stakes [ U ] used in the names of some horse races
•
IDIOMS
- at stake
- go to the stake over / for sth
- in the ... stakes
—more at up verb
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
stake sth (on sth) to risk money or sth important on the result of sth
SYN bet :
He staked £25 on the favourite (= for example, in horse racing) .
She staked her political career on tax reform, and lost.
That's him over there—I'd stake my life on it (= I am completely confident) .
2.
stake sth (up) to support sth with a stake (1) :
to stake newly planted trees
•
IDIOMS
- stake (out) a / your claim (to / for / on sth)
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- stake sth out
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun senses 1 to 2 and verb sense 2 Old English staca , of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch staak , also to the verb stick .
noun senses 3 to 6 and verb sense 1 late Middle English : perhaps a specialized usage of stake post from the notion of an object being placed as a wager on a post or stake.