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to stick

to stick

752 3.4
To become fixed in one position and be hard to move
  • verb
  • /stɪk/
translation icon : atascarse
  • If you don't clean the surface first, the tape may not stick properly.
  • get stuck
  • stuck in the ground
  • still be stuck

And if it's starting to stick, I would do more dusting.

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Examples

  • I accidentally spilled glue on the paper, and now the pages will stick together.

  • The arrow stuck in the bandolier.

  • And then these ones kind of stick here.

  • These are really like kind of like they stick into the lines you can see.

  • The menu was stuck in a crack on the table.

  • You've got, like, spinach stuck in your teeth.

  • Tehran had to pay more than $1 billion in charges for ships stuck in ports unable to unload.

    Academic text (2008)
  • The door was so old that it would often stick, making it hard to open.

Synonyms

to lock
vsto stick
398 2.5

To become stiff and unable to move a part of the body

is general becoming fixed without implying a device or mechanism
to fasten
vsto stick
68 1.6

Hold something in place so it cannot move

becomes fixed often without someone attaching it
to stick to
vsto stick
41 1.8

Stay attached to a surface

is about becoming fixed overall, not only surface attachment
to adhere
vsto stick
17 5.2

To stick firmly to a surface such as glass or plastic

is becoming fixed in position rather than only surface bonding
to lodge
vsto stick
4 5.0

To become stuck in something or push something to stay there

is a general fixedness rather than being embedded inside something

Antonyms

1.8

To let someone or something go free from being held

Idioms

To take a risk by saying or doing something that may get you in trouble

12 6.7

Keep supporting your idea when others disagree

8 7.1

To get a worse or unfair result than others

stick in the mud
  • Offensive
6 8.1

A person who does not like change or try new things

4 9.8

To openly oppose people in power to cause them trouble

To finish a jump or move smoothly without falling

3 9.9

To feel angry or bitter about something unfair that you cannot forget

stick-in-the-mud
  • Offensive
1 8.3

A person who does not like new things or change

1 9.7

To start working hard without delay

1 6.5

To be filling and keep you full for a long time

1 9.9

To call someone ugly as a joke

Stay alert and ready to move, like resting a hockey stick on the ice

To say or do something embarrassing by accident

1 9.4

Say or do something on purpose to hurt someone who is already in trouble

Give full attention to your own work and skills, not other people's tasks

Push away a lot of people or fans as a joke about being too popular

9.9

A person or thing that looks very ugly, said as a joke

Christ on a stick
  • Offensive
9.9

A short shocked cry showing disbelief about something ridiculous

To leave a place quickly, often to avoid trouble

To end up by chance with an unpleasant task or in a worse position

A joking way to say something is very unpleasant or painful

To want something that is impossible or not realistic

To ask for everyone to have an equal chance

An equal chance to be treated the same as others

To look much less attractive after a sudden change

To let strong, uncontrolled feelings make your life worse

9.9

Very weak and cannot help or lead

9.9

To be given unfair, unpleasant tasks or treatment

9.9

To suddenly understand something you should have noticed earlier

To explain something clearly so someone finally understands

A shout people say when they are very surprised or do not believe something

An impossible thing that someone asks for

To create problems for yourself later

9.9

To become involved in a messy situation and make it worse

To have sex or start a romantic relationship with someone who is emotionally unstable and likely to cause trouble

8.6

To get involved in other people's business when they do not ask for help

Only work in the area you know well

To follow prepared words when speaking without adding new ideas

Phrasal Verbs

343 3.0

Keep doing something without changing it, for example following a plan

341 3.6

Keep doing or supporting something even when it is difficult

to stick around
  • Informal
332 2.9

Stay in a place to wait for something

Stay together and help each other during hard times

61 3.2

To extend beyond a surface or edge

to stick up
  • Informal
59 4.3

To support someone when others criticize or attack them

to stick by
  • Informal
47 3.6

To stay with and support someone in hard times

to stick in
  • Informal
46 4.1

Quickly add a short remark into a talk or conversation

45 3.0

Push something into another thing so it goes inside

41 1.8

Stay attached to a surface

to stick it to
  • Informal
40 8.6

Punish or hurt someone to get revenge

34 3.0

To be easy to notice because it is different

25 2.7

Put something on a surface so it stays in place

Continue doing what everyone agreed without changing it

to stick out
  • Informal
6 4.9

To continue in a difficult situation until the end

5 8.4

To rob a person or shop by threatening them with a weapon

4 8.4

To check if food is cooked by poking it with a fork or to say something is finished

1 3.8

Put on a thick layer of something like paint or makeup

To get involved in other people's business without being asked

1 8.0

To get involved in other people's business when not wanted

Continue following your planned way of eating

Stay nearby or wait in a place for a short time

Compounds

18 1.0

A long thin piece of fish covered in breadcrumbs and fried or baked

A stick used to support a person while walking

8 1.2

A long stick with a curved blade that players use to hit a puck

8 2.6

A very simple drawing of a person using a circle for the head and lines for body, arms and legs

7 1.3

A thin piece of raw carrot eaten as a snack

5 4.0

A car transmission you operate with a gear stick and clutch pedal

5 4.6

A toy with a pole, foot rests, and a strong spring that you jump up and down on

A small stick for stirring drinks like cocktails in a glass

3 6.9

A show of force used to make others do what you want

A long rod with marks for measuring length

hockey stick
  • Specialized
2 4.6

A graph shape that stays flat over time then rises quickly

2 1.3

A long thin piece of celery that people eat raw as a snack or in salads

1 3.8

A long, thin stick used to hit the white ball in pool and billiards

1 8.1

A hollow tube with small stones inside that makes a rain sound when tilted

1 3.2

A long thin wooden tool that you use to hit the white ball in pool or billiards

control stick
  • Specialized
1 5.0

A lever a pilot uses to move a plane up, down, left, and right

1 5.6

A long thin insect that looks like a twig

ugly stick
  • Offensive
1 9.3

A person or thing that looks very unattractive, often said as a joke

Pieces of grilled chicken on a wooden stick sold as a quick snack

1 8.2

A thin stick of incense burned in temples or homes during prayers

old stick
  • Offensive
1 9.6

A person who prefers the usual way of doing things and does not accept new ideas

1 9.9

A walking stick that hides a long knife inside for use as a weapon

stick horse
  • Baby Talk
1 2.3

A toy with a horse head on a stick that a child pretends to ride

clue stick
  • Slang
9.9

A pretend object used to give someone a very clear hint about something they missed

A small tree or bush with spiny stems and large leaves

A stick that people use instead of a sword for practice

licorice stick
  • Archaic
8.7

A clarinet often used in jazz bands

moxa stick
  • Specialized
9.9

A stick of dried plant leaves that people burn near the skin to give warmth in East Asian medicine

gas on a stick
  • Informal
9.9

A very bad taste or smell that makes you want to spit

A long stick with a head used to hit the ball in polo

swagger stick
  • Archaic
9.8

A short cane carried by army officers to show who is in charge or for ceremonies

A curved stick that comes back to the thrower when thrown correctly

A curved wooden tool that comes back to the thrower when thrown correctly

A wooden tool used to throw a spear farther and faster

The pointed end of a stick that can cut or poke

A walking stick with a small folding seat for sitting at outdoor events

A single stick that makes a camera steady for sharper photos

size stick
  • Specialized
7.5

A measuring tool used by shoe sellers to measure foot length and width

A dried rolled piece of cinnamon bark used to add warm spice to food

stick lac
  • Indian
9.9

A dried natural resin scraped from twigs before processing

stick moxa
  • Specialized
9.5

A stick made from dried mugwort leaves that therapists burn near the skin for traditional heat therapy

walking stick
  • Specialized
6.0

A long thin insect that looks like a twig

How Fixed

to immobilize
21 6.0
to stick
752 3.4
to jam
13 4.4

Surface Forms

stick infinitive
sticking present participle
sticks third person singular
stuck past
stuck past participle

Etymology

Stick meaning to become fixed and hard to move comes from the same idea of being held fast or 'stuck'. So when a drawer or window 'sticks', it will not move easily.