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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
stick2 verb (stuck, sticking) 1 a to push or thrust (especially something long and thin or pointed); b colloq to push or protrude (a hand, head, foot, etc) • stick your feet into your trainers. 2 to fasten by piercing with a pin or other sharp object • stick it up with drawing-pins. 3 tr & intr to fix, or be or stay fixed, with an adhesive. 4 intrans to remain persistently • an episode that sticks in my mind. 5 tr & intr to make or be unable to move; to jam, lock or lodge • The car got stuck in the snow. 6 to confine • stuck in the house all day. 7 intrans said of criticism, etc: to continue to be considered valid. 8 colloq to place or put • just stick it on the table. 9 colloq to bear or tolerate • could not stick it any longer. 10 to cause to be at a loss; to baffle • He's never stuck for something to say. be stuck on someone or something and get stuck into something see under stuck. stick at nothing to act in a very ruthless manner. stick in one's throat colloq to be extremely difficult to say or accept, usually for reasons of principle. stick it! or stick it up your jumper, arse, etc colloq a contemptuous exclamation that is used when something is not wanted, not going one's way, etc. stick one's neck out or stick one's neck out for someone or something to put oneself in a dangerous or tricky position for them or it. stick one's nose in or into something to interfere or pry, or to interfere with it or pry into it, especially when it is none of one's business. stick out a mile or stick out like a sore thumb to be glaringly obvious. stick something on someone to put the blame for it onto them. stick to one's guns to be adamant.
ETYMOLOGY: 19c: from military use, literally 'to stay in one's position when under attack'.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon stician.
stick around colloq to remain or linger. stick at something to continue doggedly with it. stick by someone or something to remain loyal or supportive towards them or it • She sticks by him no matter what he does. stick someone for something colloq to get them to pay for it. stick in to start eating, etc • Stick in - the soup's getting cold. stick on colloq to put on (an item of clothing). See also stick-on. stick out 1 to project or protrude • His ears really stick out. 2 to be obvious or noticeable; to stand out. 3 to endure • had to stick out the winter with hardly any supplies. stick out for something to continue to insist on it; to refuse to yield. stick to something 1 to remain faithful to it, eg a promise • stuck to the same story throughout the questioning. 2 to keep to it, eg a matter under discussion without digressing. stick together to remain loyal and supportive, especially in the face of some difficulty. stick up colloq 1 to project upwards; to stand up. 2 to attach (a bill, poster, etc) to a wall, etc. 3 colloq to rob someone or something, especially at gunpoint • stuck up the liquor store. stick up for someone or oneself to speak or act in their or one's own defence • quite capable of sticking up for myself. stick someone with something colloq to burden them with it • stuck her mother with watching the baby while she went out. |
stick2 verb (stuck, sticking) 1 a to push or thrust (especially something long and thin or pointed); b colloq to push or protrude (a hand, head, foot, etc) • stick your feet into your trainers. 2 to fasten by piercing with a pin or other sharp object • stick it up with drawing-pins. 3 tr & intr to fix, or be or stay fixed, with an adhesive. 4 intrans to remain persistently • an episode that sticks in my mind. 5 tr & intr to make or be unable to move; to jam, lock or lodge • The car got stuck in the snow. 6 to confine • stuck in the house all day. 7 intrans said of criticism, etc: to continue to be considered valid. 8 colloq to place or put • just stick it on the table. 9 colloq to bear or tolerate • could not stick it any longer. 10 to cause to be at a loss; to baffle • He's never stuck for something to say. be stuck on someone or something and get stuck into something see under stuck. stick at nothing to act in a very ruthless manner. stick in one's throat colloq to be extremely difficult to say or accept, usually for reasons of principle. stick it! or stick it up your jumper, arse, etc colloq a contemptuous exclamation that is used when something is not wanted, not going one's way, etc. stick one's neck out or stick one's neck out for someone or something to put oneself in a dangerous or tricky position for them or it. stick one's nose in or into something to interfere or pry, or to interfere with it or pry into it, especially when it is none of one's business. stick out a mile or stick out like a sore thumb to be glaringly obvious. stick something on someone to put the blame for it onto them. stick to one's guns to be adamant.
ETYMOLOGY: 19c: from military use, literally 'to stay in one's position when under attack'.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon stician.
stick around colloq to remain or linger. stick at something to continue doggedly with it. stick by someone or something to remain loyal or supportive towards them or it • She sticks by him no matter what he does. stick someone for something colloq to get them to pay for it. stick in to start eating, etc • Stick in - the soup's getting cold. stick on colloq to put on (an item of clothing). See also stick-on. stick out 1 to project or protrude • His ears really stick out. 2 to be obvious or noticeable; to stand out. 3 to endure • had to stick out the winter with hardly any supplies. stick out for something to continue to insist on it; to refuse to yield. stick to something 1 to remain faithful to it, eg a promise • stuck to the same story throughout the questioning. 2 to keep to it, eg a matter under discussion without digressing. stick together to remain loyal and supportive, especially in the face of some difficulty. stick up colloq 1 to project upwards; to stand up. 2 to attach (a bill, poster, etc) to a wall, etc. 3 colloq to rob someone or something, especially at gunpoint • stuck up the liquor store. stick up for someone or oneself to speak or act in their or one's own defence • quite capable of sticking up for myself. stick someone with something colloq to burden them with it • stuck her mother with watching the baby while she went out. |
stick2 verb (stuck, sticking) 1 a to push or thrust (especially something long and thin or pointed); b colloq to push or protrude (a hand, head, foot, etc) • stick your feet into your trainers. 2 to fasten by piercing with a pin or other sharp object • stick it up with drawing-pins. 3 tr & intr to fix, or be or stay fixed, with an adhesive. 4 intrans to remain persistently • an episode that sticks in my mind. 5 tr & intr to make or be unable to move; to jam, lock or lodge • The car got stuck in the snow. 6 to confine • stuck in the house all day. 7 intrans said of criticism, etc: to continue to be considered valid. 8 colloq to place or put • just stick it on the table. 9 colloq to bear or tolerate • could not stick it any longer. 10 to cause to be at a loss; to baffle • He's never stuck for something to say. be stuck on someone or something and get stuck into something see under stuck. stick at nothing to act in a very ruthless manner. stick in one's throat colloq to be extremely difficult to say or accept, usually for reasons of principle. stick it! or stick it up your jumper, arse, etc colloq a contemptuous exclamation that is used when something is not wanted, not going one's way, etc. stick one's neck out or stick one's neck out for someone or something to put oneself in a dangerous or tricky position for them or it. stick one's nose in or into something to interfere or pry, or to interfere with it or pry into it, especially when it is none of one's business. stick out a mile or stick out like a sore thumb to be glaringly obvious. stick something on someone to put the blame for it onto them. stick to one's guns to be adamant.
ETYMOLOGY: 19c: from military use, literally 'to stay in one's position when under attack'.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon stician.
stick around colloq to remain or linger. stick at something to continue doggedly with it. stick by someone or something to remain loyal or supportive towards them or it • She sticks by him no matter what he does. stick someone for something colloq to get them to pay for it. stick in to start eating, etc • Stick in - the soup's getting cold. stick on colloq to put on (an item of clothing). See also stick-on. stick out 1 to project or protrude • His ears really stick out. 2 to be obvious or noticeable; to stand out. 3 to endure • had to stick out the winter with hardly any supplies. stick out for something to continue to insist on it; to refuse to yield. stick to something 1 to remain faithful to it, eg a promise • stuck to the same story throughout the questioning. 2 to keep to it, eg a matter under discussion without digressing. stick together to remain loyal and supportive, especially in the face of some difficulty. stick up colloq 1 to project upwards; to stand up. 2 to attach (a bill, poster, etc) to a wall, etc. 3 colloq to rob someone or something, especially at gunpoint • stuck up the liquor store. stick up for someone or oneself to speak or act in their or one's own defence • quite capable of sticking up for myself. stick someone with something colloq to burden them with it • stuck her mother with watching the baby while she went out. |
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Chambers Biographical Dictionary
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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
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