stick

stick¹ W3S3 [stık] v past tense and past participle stuck [stʌk]

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1¦(attach)¦

2¦(push in)¦

3¦(put)¦

4¦(move part of body)¦

5¦(difficult to move)¦

6 stick in somebody's mind

7 make something stick

8¦(name)¦

9 somebody can stick something

10¦(stay in bad situation)¦

11 stick in somebody's throat/gullet

12 stick in somebody's throat

13 stick to somebody's ribs

Phrasal verbs

　stick around

　stick at something

　stick by somebody/something

　stick out

　stick out for something

　stick to something

　stick together

　stick up

　stick up for somebody

　stick with something/somebody

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[: Old English; Origin: stician]

1.) ¦(ATTACH)¦ [I and T]

to attach something to something else using a substance, or to become attached to a surface

stick sth on/to/in etc sth

▪ Someone had stuck posters all over the walls.

stick to/together

▪ I could feel my shirt sticking to my back.

▪ The oil keeps the pasta from sticking together.

▪ This stamp won't stick properly.

2.) ¦(PUSH IN)¦ [I,T always + adverb/preposition]

if a pointed object sticks into something, or if you stick it there, it is pushed into it

stick (sth) in/into/through sth

▪ pins stuck in a notice board

▪ The boy stuck his finger up his nose.

3.) ¦(PUT)¦ [T always + adverb/preposition] informal

to put something somewhere quickly and without much care

= ↑bung

▪ Just stick it in the microwave for a few minutes.

▪ The cards had been stuck through the letterbox.

4.) ¦(MOVE PART OF BODY)¦ [T always + adverb/preposition]

if you stick a part of your body somewhere, you put it in a position where other people can see it

= ↑put

▪ Clara stuck her head around the door to see who was there.

▪ The baby stuck his legs in the air.

▪ Don't stick your tongue out , it's rude!

5.) ¦(DIFFICULT TO MOVE)¦

if something sticks, it becomes fixed in one position and is difficult to move

▪ This door keeps sticking.

▪ The wheels stuck fast (=stuck completely) in the mud.

6.) stick in sb's mind

if something sticks in your mind, you remember it well because it is unusual or interesting

▪ It's the kind of name that sticks in your mind.

7.) make sth stick [i]informal

a) to prove that something is true

▪ Is there enough evidence to make the charges stick ?

b) to make a change become permanent

▪ The government has succeeded in making this policy stick.

8.) ¦(NAME)¦

if a name that someone has invented sticks, people continue using it

▪ One newspaper dubbed him 'Eddie the Eagle', and the name stuck.

9.) sb can stick sth

[i]spoken used to say angrily that you do not want what someone is offering you

▪ I told them they could stick their job.

10.)¦(STAY IN BAD SITUATION)¦ [T]

BrE spoken to continue to accept a situation or person, even though you do not like them

= ↑stand

▪ I can't stick mum's new boyfriend.

can't stick doing sth

▪ Gerry can't stick working for Featherstone's any longer.

▪ I don't know how you stick it .

11.) stick in sb's throat/gullet

BrE stick in sb's craw AmE

if a situation or someone's behaviour sticks in your throat, it is so annoying that you cannot accept it

▪ Her criticism really stuck in my craw.

12.) stick in sb's throat

if words stick in your throat, you are unable to say them because you are afraid or upset

13.) stick to sb's ribs informal

food that sticks to your ribs is very satisfying, so you are not hungry after you have eaten

→↑stuck,stick/poke your nose into sth at ↑nose¹ (3)

stick around phr v

to stay in a place a little longer, waiting for something to happen

▪ Perhaps you'd like to stick around and watch?

▪ Tom will be sticking around for a while.

stick at [stick at sth] phr v

1.) to continue doing something in a determined way in order to achieve something

▪ Revising with your friends may help you stick at it .

2.) stick at nothing informal

to be willing to do anything, even if it is illegal, in order to achieve something

stick at nothing to do sth

▪ He will stick at nothing to make money.

stick by / [stick by sb/sth] phr v

1.) to remain loyal to a friend when they have done something wrong or have problems

▪ I love him and whatever happens I'll stick by him.

▪ Jean has stuck by her husband through thick and thin .

2.) to do what you promised or decided to do

stick by a decision/promise etc

▪ He has stuck by his radical plans for economic reform.

stick out phr v

1.) if something sticks out, you notice it because part of it comes out further than the rest of a surface

▪ The children were so thin their ribs stuck out.

stick out of/from/through etc

▪ Paul's legs were sticking out from under the car.

2.) stick it out

to continue doing something that is difficult, painful, or boring

▪ It wasn't a happy period of his life, but he stuck it out.

3.) stick your neck out informal

to risk giving your opinion about something, even though you may be wrong or other people may disagree with you

▪ I'm going to stick my neck out with some predictions for the next two years.

4.) stick out to sb/stick out in sb's mind

to seem more important to someone than other people or things

▪ The thing that sticks out to me is that they need more help than they're getting.

→stick/stand out a mile at ↑mile

→stick out like a sore thumb at ↑sore¹ (6)

stick out for [stick out for sth] phr v

to refuse to accept less than what you asked for

= ↑hold out for

▪ They offered him £250 but Vic stuck out for £500.

stick to [stick to sth] phr v

1.) to do or keep doing what you said you would do or what you believe in, even when it is difficult

= ↑keep to

▪ Have you been sticking to your diet?

stick to your decision/principles etc

▪ Miguel was determined to stick to his decision.

▪ It looks as if Nick will stick to his word this time.

2.) to keep using or doing one particular thing and not change to anything else

▪ If you're driving, stick to soft drinks.

stick to doing sth

▪ Reporters should stick to investigating the facts.

3.) stick to your guns informal

to refuse to change your mind about something, even though other people are trying to persuade you that you are wrong

▪ Having made up his mind, he stuck to his guns.

4.) stick to the point/subject/facts

to talk only about what you are supposed to be talking about or what is certain

▪ Never mind whose fault it was. Just stick to the facts.

5.) stick to the rules informal

to do something exactly according to the rules

6.) stick to the path/road etc

to stay on a marked path or road so that you do not get lost

7.) stick to the/your story

spoken to continue to say that what you have told someone is true, even though they do not believe you

▪ You intend to stick to this story that she knew nothing of your financial prospects?

8.) stick to the/your knitting

AmE informal to continue paying attention to your own work and not to get involved with what other people are doing

▪ I wish Mrs Reese would stick to her knitting.

9.) stick it to sb

AmE informal to make someone suffer, pay a high price etc

▪ The politicians stick it to the tourists because the tourists don't vote.

stick together phr v

if people stick together, they continue to support each other when they have problems

▪ We're a family, and we stick together no matter what.

stick up phr v

1.) if a part of something sticks up, it is raised up or points upwards above a surface

stick up from/out of/through etc

▪ Part of the boat was sticking up out of the water.

2.) stick 'em up

spoken informal used to tell someone to raise their hands when threatening them with a gun - used in films, stories etc

stick up for [stick up for sb] phr v

to defend someone who is being criticized, especially when no one else will defend them

▪ You're supposed to be sticking up for me!

stick up for yourself

▪ She's always known how to stick up for herself.

stick with / [stick with sth/sb] phr v

1.) to continue doing something the way you did or planned to do before

▪ Let's stick with the original plans.

2.) to stay close to someone

▪ You just stick with me. I'll explain everything as we go along.

3.) to continue doing something, especially something difficult

▪ If you stick with it , your playing will gradually get better.

4.) be stuck with sth/sb

to be made to accept something, do something, spend time with someone etc, when they do not want to

▪ Bill left and I was stuck with the bill.

5.) to remain in someone's memory

▪ Those words will stick with me for the rest of my life.

stick ²

stick² n

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1¦(part of tree)¦

2¦(tool)¦

3¦(piece)¦

4¦(sports)¦

5 (out) in the sticks

6 get (hold of) the wrong end of the stick

7¦(plane)¦

8¦(car)¦

9 get on the stick

10 give somebody/get (some) stick

11 up sticks

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[: Old English; Origin: sticca]

1.) ¦(PART OF TREE)¦

a long thin piece of wood from a tree, which is no longer attached to the tree

→↑branch, twig ↑twig

▪ They collected sticks to start the fire.

2.) ¦(TOOL)¦

a long thin piece of wood, plastic etc that you use for a particular purpose

▪ a pair of drum sticks

▪ a measuring stick

▪ Aunt Lou walks with a stick (=uses a stick to help her walk) .

3.) ¦(PIECE)¦

a long thin or round piece of something

▪ carrot sticks with dip

▪ a glue stick

stick of

▪ a stick of chewing gum

4.) ¦(SPORTS)¦

a long specially shaped piece of wood, plastic etc that you use in some sports to hit a ball

▪ a hockey stick

5.) (out) in the sticks

a long way from a town or city

▪ They live out in the sticks.

6.) get (hold of) the wrong end of the stick

BrE informal to understand a situation in completely the wrong way

▪ People who think the song is about drugs have got the wrong end of the stick.

7.) ¦(PLANE)¦

the handle you use to control a plane

→↑joystick

8.) ¦(CAR)¦

AmE informal a ↑stick shift

9.) get on the stick

AmE spoken to start doing something you should be doing

▪ You'd better get your sales team on the stick.

10.) give sb/get (some) stick

BrE spoken if you give someone stick, you criticize them for something they have done

▪ He's going to get some stick for this!

11.) up sticks

BrE informal if you up sticks, you move to a different area

→carrot and stick at ↑carrot