Stick is one of those English verbs that has so many uses that English learners may prefer to avoid it all together. It can be a noun or a verb, and as a verb, it can be simple or phrasal. It’s also used in plenty of idiomatic expressions, for example stick in the mud or stick it to someone or stuck up. Oh yeah, it’s also irregular – stick, sticking, stuck, stuck. In this post we’ll look at the many, many uses of stick.
Sticks and Stones
As a noun, the most basic meaning of stick is a long, narrow piece of wood. You can find sticks on trees – not quite the smallest part of a tree, which is a twig, but a slightly bigger size, the size that you’d use to start a fire or throw when you’re playing with a dog.
- Lots of sticks fell off the trees during the storm last night.
- We need to pick up all the sticks on the lawn and rake the leaves.
- If you want to build a campfire, you should start with some dry sticks.
There’s an old saying: sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. That means that objects used as weapons – for example sticks or stones – can actually hurt a person, but silly names or angry words cannot. At least not physically!
Sticks don’t have to be made by nature. A stick can be any long, thin piece of wood.
- People eat with chopsticks in many Asian countries.
- Reilly and Jonesy bought new hockey sticks.
- Kids, when you’re done with your popsicles, throw the sticks in the garbage.
- I shook the matchstick to blow it out.
Sticks don’t have to be made of wood, either. As long as it’s long and thin, it can be called a stick.
- Can I have a stick of gum?
- This recipe uses a whole stick of butter!
- To change gears in a car, move the stick shift.
- Buy cinnamon sticks, not powder. It’s better.
Stick a Fork in the Potato
As a verb, stick has a few different meanings. The first is to push something sharp into or through something else. In this sense it’s similar to pierce or penetrate or stab.
- I usually stick a fork into the potatoes to see if they’re cooked.
- The cat stuck its claws into my arm when I tried to pet her.
- I made a hole in the cardboard by sticking a nail through it.
- We stuck our shovels in the ground and began to dig.
Stick Your Arm In
To stick something (in, into, out of, etc.) somewhere means to push or force something in, or to insert something into something else.
- Don’t stick your head out of the car window! It’s dangerous!
- The kids stuck their tongues out at me and ran away.
- I stuck my arm under the sofa and reached for my keys.
- The dog stuck its nose into my ear!
It’s Sticking Out
To stick (out) can also mean to be located in a position that protrudes or is further from the rest.
- John’s ears stick out.
- What is sticking out of the water over there? Is that a snake?
- Florida sticks out into the ocean.
- Mary’s hair was sticking out all over the place when she woke up.
Stick it Over There
To stick can also mean to put something somewhere, usually quickly and not very carefully.
- Where can I stick these bags?
- Just stick the box in the closet, please.
- I wasn’t sure where you wanted these books, so I just stuck them on your desk.
- Jenn stuck her suitcase on the bed and went to get some food in the hotel restaurant.
Stick a Stamp
To stick can also mean to adhere, to glue to, to attach to, to cling to.
- He stuck a stamp on the envelope and dropped it in the mailbox.
- A sock is sticking to my sweater because of static electricity.
- Should I use glue or tape to stick these papers together?
- I stepped in some gum and now it’s sticking to my shoes.
Stuck in Snow
To stick (or to be/get stuck) means to become fixed or unable to move.
- You have to pull the door very hard because it sticks in this weather.
- I tried to drive my car through the snow but got stuck.
- I can’t close the window, it’s sticking!
- Wendy hates her job because she’s stuck in an office all day.
Stick With It!
There are also a lot of phrasal verbs with stick. To stick around means to remain in a place, usually a bit later than expected.
- Can you stick around a bit after the party and help me clean up?
- We stuck around after the show hoping to meet the band.
To stick at something means to continue doing it, to not stop even if something is hard.
- If you want to learn a language, you have to stick at it.
- The class is really hard, but Laura is going to stick at it.
If you stick by someone, you continue to support them even in difficult times.
- Ben is such a good friend. He sticks by his friends no matter what.
- The voters stuck by the senator even after his scandal.
If you stick to a story, a plan, a decision, etc., you continue to believe it or plan for it.
- I made the decision to quit my job, and I’m going to stick to it.
- You can’t stick to the explanation you gave, everyone knows it’s a lie!
The expression “that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it” is something you might say if you give an explanation that no one really believes, but you refuse to change it no matter how crazy people thinks it is.
If someone or something sticks out, it’s very noticeable because it’s different.
- Ian lives in Tokyo, is over six feet tall and has freckles and red hair, so he really sticks out.
- I bought a bright yellow suitcase because it sticks out and is easy to find at airport baggage claims.
To stick (it) out (something) means to continue to do something, no matter how hard or unpleasant it is.
- I need to stick it out at this job for at least another year.
- I’m planning to stick out this class until the end.
To stick together means to stay close to others like you, for support or protection.
- We need to stick together if we want to be safe.
- Family sticks together when things are difficult.
To stick up for something, someone, or yourself means to demand your right to something.
- You should stick up for your younger brother!
- If you don’t stick up for yourself, no one else will.
To stick up to someone means to defend yourself, to fight, to remain strong against, or to show that you’re willing to fight.
- You have to stick up to bullies or they’ll never stop.
- My boss was shocked when I finally stuck up to him and said I’d quit if he didn’t respect me more.
To stick with someone or something means to stay with them, to not go away.
- Mark stuck with his girlfriend even after she cheated on him.
- We’re sticking with our original plan. We’re not changing anything now.
Out in the Sticks
Stick is used in a few common idiomatic expressions, too. The sticks means a rural place, the country, someplace far away from a city. It’s usually meant in an insulting way; the sticks are boring and unsophisticated.
- Bill has never lived in a city. He’s always lived in the sticks.
- What do you do for fun out here in the sticks?
A stick in the mud is a boring person, someone who never wants to do anything interesting or exciting.
- Come on! Don’t be such a stick in the mud. Let’s go to the party tonight.
- I hate to be a stick in the mud, but it’s late and I need to go home and go to bed.
To stick out in a crowd or like a sore thumb are two more colorful idiomatic versions of stick out, as in be noticeably different.
- You really stick out in a crowd with the jacket!
- If you dress like that you’re going to stick out like a sore thumb.
To be stuck up is to be arrogant, to believe that you’re better than other people.
- Nancy is so stuck up. She thinks she’s better than everyone.
- Don’t be so stuck up! Go talk to those people, they seem very nice.
To stick your nose in someone else’s business means to become involved in something that doesn’t have anything to do with you.
- Don’t stick your nose in your friends’ marriage. They’ll talk about it if they want to.
- We have nosey neighbors. They’re always sticking their noses in our business.
If you stick someone with something, you make them responsible for it, usually unfairly.
- My ex-boyfriend and I got a car together, and when we broke up he stuck me with all the bills.
- Don’t stick me with all this work. Stay and help!
To stick it to someone means to treat them poorly, to be angry or rude, to be harsh.
- If you had a bad day at work, don’t come home and stick it to me! It’s not my fault!
- Whenever our boss is in a bad mood she sticks it to us.
To be stuck on someone or something means to really like it, to be a bit obsessed with it.
- Marcos is really stuck on the woman he met. I think he’s in love!
- I’m stuck on this new series on Netflix. I watch it all the time.
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