From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishstickstick1 /stɪk/ ●●● S1 W3 verb (past tense and past participle stuck /stʌk/) 1 attach [intransitive, transitive]STICK to attach something to something else using a substance, or to become attached to a surfacestick something on/to/in etc something 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 [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition]D if a pointed object sticks into something, or if you stick it there, it is pushed into itstick (something) in/into/through something pins stuck in a notice board The boy stuck his finger up his nose.3 put [transitive always + adverb/preposition] informalPUT to put something somewhere quickly and without much care SYN bung Just stick it in the microwave for a few minutes. The cards had been stuck through the letterbox.► see thesaurus at put4 move part of body [transitive always + adverb/preposition] if you stick a part of your body somewhere, you put it in a position where other people can see it SYN 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 [intransitive]STICK 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 somebody’s mind7 → make something stick8 name [intransitive]CONTINUE/NOT STOP if a name that someone has invented sticks, people continue using it One newspaper dubbed him ‘Eddie the Eagle’, and the name stuck.9 → somebody can stick something10 stay in bad situation [transitive] British English spoken to continue to accept a situation or person, even though you do not like them SYN stand I can’t stick mum’s new boyfriend.can’t stick doing something Gerry can’t stick working for Featherstone’s any longer. I don’t know how you stick it.11 → stick in somebody’s throat/gullet12 → stick in somebody’s throat13 → stick to somebody’s ribs → stuck1, → stick/poke your nose into something at nose1(3) → 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→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
stick• She pressed down the flap of the envelope, but it didn't stick.• This cupboard door keeps sticking.• Clark called him "Mule, " because he looked like a pack mule, and the name stuck.• I'm sticking.• Put some butter on the pan so the cookies don't stick.• The doctor had to stick a tube down my throat in order to examine my stomach.• It took hours to stick all these photos in my album.• They announced that they wanted to talk to everyone, and they asked everyone to stick around for a while.• And marriage developed everywhere to encourage men to stick around their children.• She stuck her chewing gum on the bottom of the chair.• I guess Waldo must have been the codename for CorelDRAW 2 during development and it got stuck in the code.• Teenagers can not wreak that kind of havoc when they are stuck inside.• They stuck pins into a map to show where the enemy's camps were.• I stuck the pictures in a drawer and forgot all about them.• The experts avoid sticking their own necks out.• The vase broke into several pieces, but I was able to stick them all back together.• "What should I do with these?" "Oh, just stick them anywhere."• Mind you, I don't suppose you would really want to stick them in the top of the Christmas pudding either.• Stick this note to Chris's computer so he sees it when he gets back.• Peter was very hot, and his shirt was sticking to his back.• It was only a little flurry, but it was wet, clumping gobs of snow that stuck to the windshield.• Paul stuck two pieces of paper together.stick to/together• Some of these things stick to a magnet.• I also think it's important to stick to a recorded solo from the standpoint of a fan.• With the bubbles sticking to it, the density of the grape was less than that of the soda.• In practice, this means it is best to stick to one brand.• At the market, stick to produce that is in season.• Why doesn't one just stick to the ordinary, real time that we understand?• Her hands and face were skinned from the descent, the gravel sticking to the skin and stinging.• They stick to the three cardinal investment principles set down by the national organization: .stick ... tongue out• With her eyes still crossed, she stuck her tongue out and tried to curl it upwards.• Mitchell turned around lust in time to see her stick her tongue out at him.• As I watched it soar over the crossbar, .Jamir stuck his tongue out in ridicule and blew a raspberry.• As well as the obvious, known tastes of food and drink, stick your tongue out to discover what the air tastes like.• If children on the programme stick their tongues out, we don't condemn it.stuck fast• But once established, life stuck fast.• It was summer, and the door, which was rarely opened, must have swelled in place and stuck fast.• The 13-year-old boy's left leg had become stuck fast in railings near Conwy Road Bridge.• The front of the boat was stuck fast in the mud.• We are an odd collection assembled here, stuck fast like stubborn limpets to that eastern shore throughout the winter.• They were helpless little flies stuck fast to a sticky trap from which there was no escape.• After he had hit, Silva chased up the hill to establish that his ball had stuck fast to the putting surface.stick it• I reckon it must have been a practical joke: some one sticking it in her chair.• You make a SHlme LEchl and some one sticks it in.• Tom folded the letter and stuck it into his jacket pocket.• I fill up his new dish to the top and stick it on the floor.• I knew she had to come to me each time, it was just a case of sticking it out.• If he could do the thing at all, could he stick it through?• I couldn't stick it up at the back or I'd look aged, haggard, forty years old.stickstick2 ●●● S3 noun [countable] 1 part of treeD a long thin piece of wood from a tree, which is no longer attached to the tree → branch, twig They collected sticks to start the fire.2 DStool 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 DFpiece a long thin or round piece of something carrot sticks with dip a glue stickstick of a stick of chewing gum4 sports a long, specially shaped piece of wood, plastic etc that you use in some sports to hit a ball a hockey stick5 → (out) in the sticks6 → get (hold of) the wrong end of the stick7 → a stick to beat somebody with8 plane the handle you use to control a plane → joystick9 car American English informalTTC a stick shift 10 → get on the stick11 → give somebody/get (some) stick12 → up sticks → carrot and stick at carrot(3)Examples from the Corpus
stick• Stick insects look like sticks and so are saved from being eaten by birds.• Julitis disgustedly cleaned it frorn her shoe with a stick.• He didn't half go into him with his stick.• Using his thick bill, he played with the leaves, sticks, and grass stems at the edge of his nest.• He dipped the oil stick in again.• The hon. Gentleman has got the wrong end of the stick about how they work.• a walking stickOrigin stick1 Old English stician stick2 Old English sticca 