STICKIT
Stick"it, a.
Definition: Stuck; spoiled in making. [Scot.] Stickit minister, a candidate
for the clerical office who fails, disqualified by incompetency or
immorality.
STICK
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