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.) To compose; to set, or arrange, in a composing
stick; as, to stick type. [Cant]
9. (Joinery) 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.
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.) 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}, (Zo["o]l.), any one of various species of
wingless orthopterous insects of the family {Phasmid[ae]},
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.
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.]