STICK
stick
(noun) threat of a penalty; “the policy so far is all stick and no carrot”
joint, marijuana cigarette, reefer, stick, spliff
(noun) marijuana leaves rolled into a cigarette for smoking
stick
(noun) an implement consisting of a length of wood; “he collected dry sticks for a campfire”; “the kid had a candied apple on a stick”
stick
(noun) a long thin implement resembling a length of wood; “cinnamon sticks”; “a stick of dynamite”
stick, control stick, joystick
(noun) a lever used by a pilot to control the ailerons and elevators of an airplane
stick
(noun) a long implement (usually made of wood) that is shaped so that hockey or polo players can hit a puck or ball
pin, peg, stick
(noun) informal terms for the leg; “fever left him weak on his sticks”
stick
(noun) a rectangular quarter pound block of butter or margarine
stick
(noun) a small thin branch of a tree
perplex, vex, stick, get, puzzle, mystify, baffle, beat, pose, bewilder, flummox, stupefy, nonplus, gravel, amaze, dumbfound
(verb) be a mystery or bewildering to; “This beats me!”; “Got me--I don’t know the answer!”; “a vexing problem”; “This question really stuck me”
stick, sting
(verb) saddle with something disagreeable or disadvantageous; “They stuck me with the dinner bill”; “I was stung with a huge tax bill”
cling, cleave, adhere, stick, cohere
(verb) come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation; “The dress clings to her body”; “The label stuck to the box”; “The sushi rice grains cohere”
adhere, hold fast, bond, bind, stick, stick to
(verb) stick to firmly; “Will this wallpaper adhere to the wall?”
stick
(verb) pierce or penetrate or puncture with something pointed; “He stuck the needle into his finger”
stick
(verb) pierce with a thrust using a pointed instrument; “he stuck the cloth with the needle”
lodge, wedge, stick, deposit
(verb) put, fix, force, or implant; “lodge a bullet in the table”; “stick your thumb in the crack”
stick
(verb) fasten with or as with pins or nails; “stick the photo onto the corkboard”
stick
(verb) fasten with an adhesive material like glue; “stick the poster onto the wall”
stick
(verb) cover and decorate with objects that pierce the surface; “stick some feathers in the turkey before you serve it”
stay, stick, stick around, stay put
(verb) stay put (in a certain place); “We are staying in Detroit; we are not moving to Cincinnati”; “Stay put in the corner here!”; “Stick around and you will learn something!”
adhere, stick
(verb) be a devoted follower or supporter; “The residents of this village adhered to Catholicism”; “She sticks to her principles”
stick
(verb) endure; “The label stuck to her for the rest of her life”
stick
(verb) be or become fixed; “The door sticks--we will have to plane it”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
Stick (plural Sticks)
(Ireland) A member of the Official IRA.
Synonyms
• Sticky
Proper noun
Stick
(musical instruments) The Chapman Stick, an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman.
Anagrams
• ticks
Etymology 1
Noun
stick (countable and uncountable, plural sticks)
An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.
A small, thin branch from a tree or bush; a twig; a branch.
Synonyms: branch, twig, rice (dialectal), kindling, brush (uncountable)
A relatively long, thin piece of wood, of any size.
(US) A timber board, especially a two by four (inches).
Synonym: two by four
A cane or walking stick (usually wooden, metal or plastic) to aid in walking.
Synonyms: cane, walking stick
A cudgel or truncheon (usually of wood, metal or plastic), especially one carried by police or guards.
(carpentry) The vertical member of a cope-and-stick joint.
(nautical) A mast or part of a mast of a ship; also, a yard.
(figuratively) A piece (of furniture, especially if wooden).
Synonyms: piece, item
Any roughly cylindrical (or rectangular) unit of a substance.
(chiefly, North America) A small rectangular block, with a length several times its width, which contains by volume one half of a cup of shortening (butter, margarine or lard).
A standard rectangular (often thin) piece of chewing gum.
(slang) A cigarette (usually a tobacco cigarette, less often a marijuana cigarette).
Synonyms: joint, reefer
Material or objects attached to a stick or the like.
A bunch of something wrapped around or attached to a stick.
(archaic) A scroll that is rolled around (mounted on, attached to) a stick.
(military) The structure to which a set of bombs in a bomber aircraft are attached and which drops the bombs when it is released. The bombs themselves and, by extension, any load of similar items dropped in quick succession such as paratroopers or containers.
Synonym: train
A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.
(US, colloquial) A manual transmission, a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission, so called because of the stick-like, i.e. twig-like, control (the gear shift) with which the driver of such a vehicle controls its transmission.
Synonyms: stickshift, gearstick
(US, colloquial, uncountable) Vehicles, collectively, equipped with manual transmissions.
(aviation) The control column of an aircraft; a joystick. (By convention, a wheel-like control mechanism with a handgrip on opposite sides, similar to the steering wheel of an automobile, is also called the "stick".)
(aviation, uncountable) Use of the stick to control the aircraft.
(computing) A memory stick.
(dated, metal typesetting) A composing stick, the tool used by compositors to assemble lines of type.
(jazz, slang) The clarinet.
Synonyms: licorice stick, liquorice stick
(sports) A stick-like item
(sports, generically) A long thin implement used to control a ball or puck in sports like hockey, polo, and lacrosse.
(horse racing) The short whip carried by a jockey.
(boardsports) A board as used in board sports, such as a surfboard, snowboard, or skateboard.
(golf) The pole bearing a small flag that marks the hole.
Synonyms: pin, flagstick
(US, slang, uncountable) The cue used in billiards, pool, snooker, etc.
The game of pool, or an individual pool game.
(sports, uncountable) Ability; specifically
(golf) The long-range driving ability of a golf club.
(baseball) The potential hitting power of a specific bat.
(baseball) General hitting ability.
(hockey) The potential accuracy of a hockey stick, implicating also the player using it.
(slang, dated) A person or group of people. (Perhaps, in some senses, because people are, broadly speaking, tall and thin, like pieces of wood.)
A thin or wiry person; particularly a flat-chested woman.
(magic) An assistant planted in the audience.
Synonyms: plant, shill
A stiff, stupidly obstinate person.
(military aviation, from joystick) A fighter pilot.
(military, South Africa) A small group of (infantry) soldiers.
Encouragement or punishment, or (resulting) vigour or other improved behavior.
A negative stimulus or a punishment. (This sense derives from the metaphor of using a stick, a long piece of wood, to poke or beat a beast of burden to compel it to move forward. Compare carrot.)
(slang, uncountable) Corporal punishment; beatings.
(slang) Vigor; spirit; effort, energy, intensity.
(slang) Vigorous driving of a car; gas.
A measure.
(obsolete) An English Imperial unit of length equal to 2 inches.
(archaic, rare) A quantity of eels, usually 25.
Synonyms: stich, broach
Usage notes
• (furniture): Generally used in the negative, or in contexts expressive of poverty or lack.
Synonyms
• See also stick
Verb
stick (third-person singular simple present sticks, present participle sticking, simple past and past participle sticked)
(carpentry) To cut a piece of wood to be the stick member of a cope-and-stick joint.
(transitive, printing, slang, dated) To compose; to set, or arrange, in a composing stick.
(transitive) To furnish or set with sticks.
Etymology 2
Noun
stick (uncountable)
(motor racing) The traction of tires on the road surface.
(fishing) The amount of fishing line resting on the water surface before a cast; line stick.
A thrust with a pointed instrument; a stab.
Verb
stick (third-person singular simple present sticks, present participle sticking, simple past and past participle (archaic) sticked or stuck)
(intransitive) To become or remain attached; to adhere.
(intransitive) To jam; to stop moving.
(transitive) To tolerate, to endure, to stick with.
(intransitive) To persist.
(intransitive) Of snow, to remain frozen on landing.
(intransitive) To remain loyal; to remain firm.
(dated, intransitive) To hesitate, to be reluctant; to refuse (in negative phrases).
(dated, intransitive) To be puzzled (at something), have difficulty understanding.
(dated, intransitive) To cause difficulties, scruples, or hesitation.
(transitive) To attach with glue or as if by gluing.
(transitive) To place, set down (quickly or carelessly).
(transitive) To press (something with a sharp point) into something else.
(transitive, now only in dialects) To stab.
(transitive) To fix on a pointed instrument; to impale.
(transitive, archaic) To adorn or deck with things fastened on as by piercing.
(transitive, gymnastics) To perform (a landing) perfectly.
(botany, transitive) To propagate plants by cuttings.
(transitive, joinery) To run or plane (mouldings) in a machine, in contradistinction to working them by hand. Such mouldings are said to be stuck.
(dated, transitive) To bring to a halt; to stymie; to puzzle.
(transitive, slang, dated) To impose upon; to compel to pay; sometimes, to cheat.
(intransitive, US, slang) To have sexual intercourse with.
Synonyms
• (to adhere): cleave, cling; see also adhere
• (to stop moving): jam, stall; see also stop
• (to tolerate): live with, put up with; See also tolerate
• (persist): abide, carry on; see also persevere
• (to remain loyal): stand by, stick by
• (to hesitate): falter, waver; see also hesitate
• (to be puzzled at): puzzle
• (to attach with glue): agglutinate, conglutinate, glue, gum, paste
• (to place): pop, set down
• (to press into with a sharp point): pierce, prick, puncture
• (to fix on a pointed instrument): fix, impale, stake, run through, transfix
• (to bring to a halt): stump, thwart
• (to have sexual intercourse): have sex; see also copulate
Adjective
stick (comparative sticker, superlative stickest)
(informal) Likely to stick; sticking, sticky.
Usage notes
• The adjective is more informal than nonstandard due to the prevalence of examples such as "non-stick pan" or "stick plaster".
• The comparative and superlative remain nonstandard (vs. stickier and stickiest) and are sometimes seen inbetween quotation marks to reflect it.
Etymology 3
Possibly a metaphorical use of the first etymology ("twig, branch"), possibly derived from the Yiddish schtick.
Noun
stick (plural sticks)
(British, uncountable) Criticism or ridicule.
Anagrams
• ticks
Source: Wiktionary
Stick, n. Etym: [OE. sticke, AS. sticca; akin to stician to stab,
prick, pierce, G. stecken a stick, staff, OHG. steccho, Icel. stik a
stick. See Stick, v. t..]
1. A small shoot, or branch, separated, as by a cutting, from a tree
or shrub; also, any stem or branch of a tree, of any size, cut for
fuel or timber.
Withered sticks to gather, which might serve Against a winter's day.
Milton.
2. Any long and comparatively slender piece of wood, whether in
natural form or shaped with tools; a rod; a wand; a staff; as, the
stick of a rocket; a walking stick.
3. Anything shaped like a stick; as, a stick of wax.
4. A derogatory expression for a person; one who is inert or stupid;
as, an odd stick; a poor stick. [Colloq.]
5. (Print.)
Definition: A composing stick. See under Composing. It is usually a frame
of metal, but for posters, handbills, etc., one made of wood is used.
6. A thrust with a pointed instrument; a stab. A stick of eels,
twenty-five eels. [Prov. Eng.] -- Stick chimney, a chimney made of
sticks laid crosswise, and cemented with clay or mud, as in some log
houses. [U.S.] -- Stick insect, (Zoöl.), any one of various species
of wingless orthopterous insects of the family Phasmidæ, which have a
long round body, resembling a stick in form and color, and long legs,
which are often held rigidly in such positions as to make them
resemble small twigs. They thus imitate the branches and twigs of the
trees on which they live. The common American species is Diapheromera
femorata. Some of the Asiatic species are more than a foot long.
– To cut one's stick, or To cut stick, to run away. [Slang] De
Quincey.
Stick, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stuck (Obs. Sticked (); p. pr. & vb. n.
Sticking.] Etym: [OE. stikien, v.t. & i., combined with steken,
whence E. stuck), AS. stician, v.t. & i., and (assumed) stecan, v.t.;
akin to OFries. steka, OS. stekan, OHG. stehhan, G. stechen, and to
Gr. tij to be sharp. Cf. Distinguish, Etiquette, Extinct, Instigate,
Instinct, Prestige, Stake, Steak, Stick, n., Stigma, Stimulate,
Sting, Stitch in sewing, Style for or in writing.]
1. To penetrate with a pointed instrument; to pierce; to stab; hence,
to kill by piercing; as, to stick a beast.
And sticked him with bodkins anon. Chaucer.
It was a shame . . . to stick him under the other gentleman's arm
while he was redding the fray. Sir W. Scott.
2. To cause to penetrate; to push, thrust, or drive, so as to pierce;
as, to stick a needle into one's finger.
Thou stickest a dagger in me. Shak.
3. To fasten, attach, or cause to remain, by thrusting in; hence,
also, to adorn or deck with things fastened on as by piercing; as, to
stick a pin on the sleeve.
My shroud of white, stuck all with yew. Shak.
The points of spears are stuck within the shield. Dryden.
4. To set; to fix in; as, to stick card teeth.
5. To set with something pointed; as, to stick cards.
6. To fix on a pointed instrument; to impale; as, to stick an apple
on a fork.
7. To attach by causing to adhere to the surface; as, to stick on a
plaster; to stick a stamp on an envelope; also, to attach in any
manner.
8. (Print.)
Definition: To compose; to set, or arrange, in a composing stick; as, to
stick type. [Cant]
9. (Joinery)
Definition: To run or plane (moldings) in a machine, in contradistinction
to working them by hand. Such moldings are said to be stuck.
10. To cause to stick; to bring to a stand; to pose; to puzzle; as,
to stick one with a hard problem. [Colloq.]
11. To impose upon; to compel to pay; sometimes, to cheat. [Slang] To
stick out, to cause to project or protrude; to render prominent.
Stick, v. i.
1. To adhere; as, glue sticks to the fingers; paste sticks to the
wall.
The green caterpillar breedeth in the inward parts of roses not
blown, where the dew sticketh. Bacon.
2. To remain where placed; to be fixed; to hold fast to any position
so as to be moved with difficulty; to cling; to abide; to cleave; to
be united closely.
A friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Prov. xviii. 24.
I am a kind of bur; I shall stick. Shak.
If on your fame our sex a bolt has thrown, 'T will ever stick through
malice of your own. Young.
3. To be prevented from going farther; to stop by reason of some
obstacle; to be stayed.
I had most need of blessing, and "Amen" Stuck in my throat. Shak.
The trembling weapon passed Through nine bull hides, . . . and stuck
within the last. Dryden.
4. To be embarrassed or puzzled; to hesitate; to be deterred, as by
scruples; to scruple; -- often with at.
They will stick long at part of a demonstration for want of
perceiving the connection of two ideas. Locke.
Some stick not to say, that the parson and attorney forged a will.
Arbuthnot.
5. To cause difficulties, scruples, or hesitation.
This is the difficulty that sticks with the most reasonable. Swift.
To stick by. (a) To adhere closely to; to be firm in supporting. "We
are your only friends; stick by us, and we will stick by you."
Davenant. (b) To be troublesome by adhering. "I am satisfied to
trifle away my time, rather than let it stick by me." Pope.
– To stick out. (a) To project; to be prominent. "His bones that
were not seen stick out." Job xxxiii. 21. (b) To persevere in a
purpose; to hold out; as, the garrison stuck out until relieved.
[Colloq.]v.i. to stick it out.
– To stick to, to be persevering in holding to; as, to stick to a
party or cause. "The advantage will be on our side if we stick to its
essentials." Addison.
– To stick up, to stand erect; as, his hair sticks up.
– To stick up for, to assert and defend; as, to stick up for one's
rights or for a friend. [Colloq.] -- To stick upon, to dwell upon;
not to forsake. "If the matter be knotty, the mind must stop and
buckle to it, and stick upon it with labor and thought." Locke.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition