to stick
- verb
- /stɪk/
- 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.
- And if it's starting to stick, I would do more dusting.
- They they first stick and then they all slip at the same time.
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 become stiff and unable to move a part of the body
Hold something in place so it cannot move
Stay attached to a surface
To stick firmly to a surface such as glass or plastic
To become stuck in something or push something to stay there
Antonyms
Idioms
To take a risk by saying or doing something that may get you in trouble
- Informal
To feel angry or bitter about something unfair that you cannot forget
Stay alert and ready to move, like resting a hockey stick on the ice
- Informal
Say or do something on purpose to hurt someone who is already in trouble
- Informal
Give full attention to your own work and skills, not other people's tasks
- Informal
Push away a lot of people or fans as a joke about being too popular
- Informal
To end up by chance with an unpleasant task or in a worse position
- Informal
A joking way to say something is very unpleasant or painful
- Offensive
To let strong, uncontrolled feelings make your life worse
- Informal
To suddenly understand something you should have noticed earlier
- Offensive
A shout people say when they are very surprised or do not believe something
To have sex or start a romantic relationship with someone who is emotionally unstable and likely to cause trouble
- Informal
To get involved in other people's business when they do not ask for help
Phrasal Verbs
- Informal
To check if food is cooked by poking it with a fork or to say something is finished
Compounds
A very simple drawing of a person using a circle for the head and lines for body, arms and legs
- Offensive
A person who prefers the usual way of doing things and does not accept new ideas
- Slang
A pretend object used to give someone a very clear hint about something they missed
- Specialized
A stick of dried plant leaves that people burn near the skin to give warmth in East Asian medicine
- Archaic
A short cane carried by army officers to show who is in charge or for ceremonies
- Specialized
A stick made from dried mugwort leaves that therapists burn near the skin for traditional heat therapy
How Fixed
Surface Forms
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.