/ stɔːk; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a thin stem that supports a leaf, flower or fruit and joins it to another part of the plant or tree; the main stem of a plant :
flowers on long stalks
celery stalks
He ate the apple, stalk and all.
—picture at plant , cherry
2.
a long thin structure that supports sth, especially an organ in some animals, and joins it on to another part :
Crabs have eyes on stalks.
■ verb
1.
to move slowly and quietly towards an animal or a person, in order to kill, catch or harm it or them :
[ vn ]
The lion was stalking a zebra.
He stalked his victim as she walked home, before attacking and robbing her.
[also v ]
2.
[ vn ] to illegally follow and watch sb over a long period of time, in a way that is annoying or frightening :
She claimed that he had been stalking her over a period of three years.
3.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to walk in an angry or proud way :
He stalked off without a word.
4.
to move through a place in an unpleasant or threatening way :
[ vn ]
The gunmen stalked the building, looking for victims.
( figurative )
Fear stalks the streets of the city at night.
[also v ]
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun Middle English : probably a diminutive of dialect stale rung of a ladder, long handle .
verb late Old English -stealcian (in bistealcian walk cautiously or stealthily ), of Germanic origin; related to steal .