Etymology From Middle English stikke (“stick, rod, twig”), from Old English sticca (“rod, twig”), from Proto-West Germanic *stikkō, from Proto-Germanic *stikkô (“stick, pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to pierce, prick, be sharp”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Stikke (“stick”), West Flemish stik (“stick”), Dutch stek (“spot, place, home”), German Low German Stick (“stick”), German Stecken (“stick”), Danish and Norwegian stikke (“stick”), Swedish sticka (“splinter, needle”). Related to stigma.
A small, thin branch from a tree or bush; a twig; a branch.
The beaver's dam was made out of sticks.
Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame.2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:
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A relatively long, thin piece of wood, of any size.
I found several good sticks in the brush heap.
What do you call a boomerang that won't come back? A stick.
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It is a fine stick, about 70 feet long.1887 August 23, “At Work on the Thistle”, in The New York Times:
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US A timber board, especially a two by four (inches).
I found enough sticks in dumpsters at construction sites to build my shed.
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A cane or walking stick (usually wooden, metal or plastic) to aid in walking.
I don’t need my stick to walk, but it’s helpful.
The slightest effort made the patient cough. He would stand leaning on a stick and holding a hand to his side, and when the paroxysm had passed it left him shaking.1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
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A cudgel or truncheon (usually of wood, metal or plastic), especially one carried by police or guards.
As soon as the fight started, the guards came in swinging their sticks.
When cutting the door parts, I cut all the copes first, then the sticks.1997, Joseph Beals, “Building Interior Doors”, in Doors, Taunton Press, →ISBN, page 82:
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Nautical, Transport A mast or part of a mast of a ship; also, a yard.
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Figuratively A piece (of furniture, especially if wooden).
We were so poor we didn't have one stick of furniture.
It is more than poor Philip is worth, with all his savings and his little sticks of furniture.1862, W.M. Thackeray, The Adventures of Philip, printed in Harper's New Monthly Magazine volume XXV edition, page 242:
I've been working behind the stick for twenty years.
[…] other side of the stick, that's what they call the bar around here.1946, The Ladies' Home Journal, volume 63, page 205:
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Any roughly cylindrical (or rectangular) unit of a substance.
Sealing wax is available as a cylindrical or rectangular stick.
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Canada, US A small rectangular block, with a length several times its width, which contains by volume one half of a cup of shortening (butter, margarine or lard).
The recipe calls for half a stick of butter.
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A standard rectangular strip of chewing gum.
Don’t hog all that gum, give me a stick!
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Slang A cigarette (usually a tobacco cigarette, less often a marijuana cigarette).
Cigarettes are taxed at one dollar per stick.
› Material or objects attached to a stick or the like.
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A bunch of something wrapped around or attached to a stick.
My parents bought us each a stick of cotton candy.
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Archaic A scroll that is rolled around (mounted on, attached to) a stick.
Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it[…]1611, The Bible, King James Version edition, Ezekiel 37:16:
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Government, Military, Politics, War The structure to which a set of bombs in a bomber aircraft are attached and which drops the bombs when it is released. The bombs themselves and, by extension, any load of similar items dropped in quick succession such as paratroopers or containers.
Scores of transport planes streamed in to drop stick after stick of containers until the entire sky over the coast was polka-dotted with brightly coloured parachutes.2001, Raymond Mitchell, Commando Despatch Rider, →ISBN, page 70:
A stick of bombs fell straight across Wotton; blew up half a dozen houses.2006, Farley Mowat, Aftermath: Travels in a Post-War World, →ISBN, page 200:
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James and I were in the same stick of five guys going through free fall school last September.2006, Holly Aho, From Here to There, →ISBN, page 48:
› A tool, control, or instrument shaped…
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US, Colloquial A manual transmission, a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission, so called because of the stick-like, i.e. twig-like, control (the gear shift) with which the driver of such a vehicle controls its transmission.
I grew up driving a stick, but many people my age didn't.
› A tool, control, or instrument shaped… › A manual transmission, a vehicle equipped…
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US, Colloquial Vehicles, collectively, equipped with manual transmissions.
I grew up driving stick, but many people my age didn't.
› A tool, control, or instrument shaped…
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Aeronautics, Aerospace, Aviation, Business, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences The control column of an aircraft; a joystick. (By convention, a wheel-like control mechanism with a handgrip on opposite sides, similar to the steering wheel of an automobile, can also be called the "stick", although "yoke" or "control wheel" is more commonly seen.)
For example: in making a turn, should you throw on too much stick and not enough rudder, you'll sideslip.1941, Jay D. Blaufox, 33 Lessons in Flying, page 47:
The keyboard offers a full range of actions including Fight and you are given the option of using a Kempston stick for the movement combat.1985 December, Richard Price, Fairlight (video game review) in Your Sinclair issue 45
When you’re swooping, looping, and diving with the analog stick (either using the nunchuk or the Classic controller), the game feels very much like its 32-bit predecessor; […]2007 December 23, Chris Hoffman, “Neverending Nights”, in Nintendo Power, volume 222, page 30:
For ultimate presentation portability, a Powerpoint can be saved to a stick as images.2007 May 1, Alex Fethiere, “Business Traveler”, in Tech front: Alex Fethiere takes eleven notable portables for a high-tech test-drive:
A stick in the hand, a drop in the eye.2007 September 18, “Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya”, in Joseph B. Geoghegan (lyrics), The Meanest of Times, performed by Dropkick Murphys:
You think you’re real now you’ve got a couple sticks? My favourite younger, he got stabbed in my bits. And if he died fam, I promise I’d have quit.2013 April 8, “Off the Record”, in Topic of Discussion, performed by Yungen:
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Bitch, pig, pull out with the stick / everything I hit like a lick/ We don’t miss2018 July 27, “Strip Talk”, Marty Mula (lyrics), 1:52:
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Letterpress typography, Media, Publishing, TypographyDated A composing stick, the tool used by compositors to assemble lines of type.
[…]although the headings may often be in other type, still, as these are composed in the same stick, they cannot fail to justify;[…]1854, Thomas Ford, The Compositor's Handbook, page 125:
Arsene, boy, ain't you worried about your clarinet? Where'd you leave that stick, man?1948, Frederic Ramsey, Jr., “Deep Sea Rider”, in Charles Harvey, editor, Jazz Parody: Anthology of Jazz Fiction:
› A stick-like item:
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A long thin implement used to control a ball or puck in sports like hockey, polo, and lacrosse.
Tripping with the stick is a violation of the rules.
Vaughn has to hit and keep hitting or this will be another year when the Mets don't have enough stick to win.2002 May 19, Mike Lupica, “Just Need A Little Mo”, in New York Daily News:
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports The potential accuracy of a hockey stick, implicating also the player using it.
Field hockey or ice hockey
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Dated, Slang A person or group of people. (Perhaps, in some senses, because people are, broadly speaking, tall and thin, like pieces of wood.)
Your father's a great old stick. He's really been very good to me.1967, Maurice Shadbolt, The Presence of Music: Three Novellas, page 54:
“[…]He’s a good doctor but an odd stick—odder by far than I am, Emily, and yet nobody ever says he’s not all there. Can you account for that? He doesn’t believe in God—and I am not such a fool as that.”1923, Lucy Maud Montgomery, “Chapter 7”, in Emily of New Moon:
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Dated, Slang A thin or wiry person; particularly a flat-chested woman.
"She's a stick, this one. She lacks your—" he patted her left breast— "equipment."1967, Cecelia Holland, Rakóssy, page 39:
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Dated, Slang An assistant planted in the audience.
The kid was a stick, a plant, a student from UNLV who picked up a few bucks nightly by saying the words "seven of hearts."2001, Paul Quarrington, The Spirit Cabinet, page 255:
Bill Kirk, described by Robin as a "hell of a stick," didn't even attend college until after the Vietnam War.2001, John Darrell Sherwood, Fast Movers: America's Jet Pilots and the Vietnam Experience, page 30:
I remember when we dreaded the rain, as our stick of soldiers walked through the damp, tick-infested long grass of the Zambezi valley,[…]2007, Bart Wolffe, Persona Non Grata, →ISBN, page 245:
› Encouragement or punishment, or (resulting)…
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Figuratively A negative stimulus or a punishment. (This sense derives from the metaphor of using a stick, a long piece of wood, to poke or beat a beast of burden to compel it to move forward.)
We were tempted with the carrot but subtly threatened with the stick.
What about contempt? Isn't it used by the judiciary as a stick to dissuade people from writing or talking about them?1998 January 23, “Judicial activism has ushered in hope”, in Indian Express:
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Back in 2009, when Democrats tried but failed to take significant climate action, their policy proposals consisted mainly of sticks—limits on emissions in the form of permits that businesses could buy and sell.2023 August 7, Paul Krugman, “Climate Is Now a Culture War Issue”, in The New York Times:
The child killers got some stick. I saw a woman throw a basin of scalding water over a baby killer.1999, Eve McDougall, A Wicked Fist, →ISBN, page 69:
“[…] Nigel used the word ‘invasion’ for a long time and got a huge amount of stick […]” he says, referring to the total number of men, women and children who have arrived by small boat in the past seven years.2025 August 2, Anna Gross, quoting Zia Yusuf, “Lunch with the FT: Zia Yusuf”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3:
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UK, Figuratively Criticism or ridicule, often in the expressions "get a lot of stick", "get some stick", "come in for some stick", etc.
Most people can remember their first taste of cider: sandwiched between an illicit fag and a bout of throwing up. It’s always been the teen drink of choice: available in group-sized bottles and with a more acceptably fruity taste than beer. It is also the down-and-out’s favourite tipple because it’s stronger than many bitters and lagers, so it’s a cheap way to get wasted. As a consequence, it has never been the hippest of drinks. As a devotee, I’ve come in for some stick over the years.2006 April 13, Annabelle Thorpe, “Student tipple comes of age”, in The Times:
I got some stick personally because of my walking attire. I arrived to training fully kitted out in sturdy walking boots.2008 May 3, Chris Roberts, “It’s a stroll in the park!”, in Huddersfield Daily Examiner:
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'I have nothing against the players at Cardiff, because they did all help me to become a better player.' He added: 'I'll probably have a lot of stick when I return to Ninian Park for that game, but I did was the best I could for Cardiff and the supporters. I've just got to get on with it and try to do a job for Birmingham City - this is now my future and my new employer.'2013 March 30, Hannah Finch, “I expect I'll get a lot of stick - Jerome”, in WalesOnline:
Again Rwanda chose to follow a different path, reflecting the unique historical and political context of the country, and dispensed with the sermons on democracy from outsiders. So Rwandans get a lot of stick for being big-headed and refusing to follow a path chosen for them, but striking out independently. They get hit for insisting on being the principal actors in making choices about matters that concern them.2017 July 27, Joseph Rwagatare, “Why Rwandans get a lot of stick for doing right”, in The New Times:
'Choir gave it some stick on "Unto Us a Son is Born."' ¶ Cynthia nodded. ¶ 'It was always one of Russell's favourites. He makes them try hard on that.'1979, Don Bannister, Sam Chard, →ISBN, page 185:
Skunk really gave it some stick all the way to Caliban's place, we passed a good few Coppers but they all seemed to turn the blind eye.2006, Martyn J. Pass, Dani Pass, Waiting for Red, →ISBN, page 163:
› A measure.
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Obsolete An English Imperial unit of length equal to 2 inches.
There was another speech in that day's news — a speech which The Times printed on the front page because it was part of a front-page story, and in full — it was only two sticks long; printed in full just after the much longer invocation by the officiating clergyman […]1921, Elmer Davis, History of the New York Times, 1851-1921, page 61:
The stick is employed for eels, and contained twenty-five.1866, James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, →ISBN, Volume 1, page 171:
In the same charter, Nigel granted another 10 sticks of eels yielded by the fishery of Polwere to the abbey[…]1999, Claire Breay, The Cartulary of Chatteris Abbey, →ISBN, page 62:
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Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Any of the eight 16-character groups making up the 128 characters of the 7-bit ASCII character set.
Etymology From Middle English stikke (“stick, rod, twig”), from Old English sticca (“rod, twig”), from Proto-West Germanic *stikkō, from Proto-Germanic *stikkô (“stick, pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to pierce, prick, be sharp”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Stikke (“stick”), West Flemish stik (“stick”), Dutch stek (“spot, place, home”), German Low German Stick (“stick”), German Stecken (“stick”), Danish and Norwegian stikke (“stick”), Swedish sticka (“splinter, needle”). Related to stigma.
From Middle English stiken (“to stick, pierce, stab, remain embedded, be fastened”), from Old English stician (“to pierce, stab, remain embedded, be fastened”), from Proto-West Germanic *stikkōn, from Proto-Germanic *stikkōną (“to pierce, prick, be sharp”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tig-, *(s)teyg- (“to pierce, prick, be sharp”). See also the related Proto-Germanic *stikaną, whence West Frisian stekke, Low German steken, Dutch steken, German stechen; compare also Danish stikke, Swedish sticka. Cognate with the first etymology (same PIE root, different paths through Germanic and Old English), to stitch, and to etiquette, via French étiquette – see there for further discussion.
From Middle English stiken (“to stick, pierce, stab, remain embedded, be fastened”), from Old English stician (“to pierce, stab, remain embedded, be fastened”), from Proto-West Germanic *stikkōn, from Proto-Germanic *stikkōną (“to pierce, prick, be sharp”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tig-, *(s)teyg- (“to pierce, prick, be sharp”). See also the related Proto-Germanic *stikaną, whence West Frisian stekke, Low German steken, Dutch steken, German stechen; compare also Danish stikke, Swedish sticka. Cognate with the first etymology (same PIE root, different paths through Germanic and Old English), to stitch, and to etiquette, via French étiquette – see there for further discussion.
The Citizens in their rage, imagining that euery poſt in the Churche had bin one of yᵉ Souldyers, ſhot habbe or nabbe at randon^([sic – meaning random]) uppe to the Roode lofte, and to the Chancell, leauing ſome of theyr arrowes ſticking in the Images.1577, Raphaell Holinshed; Richarde Stanyhurst [i.e., Richard Stanihurst], “[The Historie of Irelande […].] The Thirde Booke of the Historie of Ireland, Comprising the Raigne of Henry the Eyght: ….”, in The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Hunne, →OCLC, pages 77–78, column 2:
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I haue stucke vnto thy Testimonies: O Lord put me not to shame.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 119:31:
Where we once sent love letters in a sealed envelope, or stuck photographs of our children in a family album, now such private material is despatched to servers and clouds operated by people we don't know and will never meet.2013 June 14, Jonathan Freedland, “Obama's once hip brand is now tainted”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 18:
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To jam; to stop moving.
The lever sticks if you push it too far up.
3
To tolerate, to endure, to stick with.
"I've had ten years of it, scratching enough out of it to dress and feed myself when the going's good and sharing a room with a girl friend or pigging it in some cheap boarding-house, and doing a perish when I've been out of a job. I've got to the point where I can't stick it any longer. I'd get out tomorrow if I could find something else to do."1950, Norman Lindsay, Dust or Polish?, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 5:
Why do most course organizers stick the job for less than five years?1998, Patrick McEvoy, Educating the Future GP: the course organizer's handbook, page 7:
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To persist.
His old nickname stuck.
"Our team did brilliantly to be in the game. We stuck at it and did a good job. This is disappointing but we'll think about the next game tomorrow."2011 December 10, David Ornstein quoting David Moyes, “Arsenal 1-0 Everton”, in BBC Sport:
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Of snow, to remain frozen on landing.
6
To remain loyal; to remain firm.
Just stick to your strategy, and you will win.
After this contencion, the common people did ſticke vnto king Agis, and the riche men followed Leonidas, praying and perſwading him not to forſake them: and further, they did ſo intreate the Senators, in whom conſiſteth the chiefe authority,[…]1579, Plutarke of Chæronea [i.e., Plutarch], “Agis and Cleomenes”, in Thomas North, transl., The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romaines, […], London: […] Richard Field, →OCLC, page 852:
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What I get from work makes me a better mother, and what I get from being a mother makes me a better journalist. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.2007, Amanda Lamb, Smotherhood: Wickedly Funny Confessions from the Early Years:
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Dated To hesitate, to be reluctant; to refuse (in negative phrases).
For thou art so possess’d with murderous hate That ’gainst thyself thou stick’st not to conspire.1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 10”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
Some stick not to say, that the Parson and Attorney forg’d a Will, for which they were well Paid […]1712, John Arbuthnot, chapter 1, in Law is a Bottomless Pit, London: John Morphew:
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, 2nd edition edited by Samuel Johnson, London: J. Payne, 1756, Part I, p. 12, Though a cup of cold water from some hand may not be without its reward, yet stick not thou for wine and oil for the wounds of the distressed […]
And so careful were they to put off the Honour of great Actions from themselves, and to centre it upon God, that they stuck not sometimes to depreciate themselves that they might more effectually honour him.1740, James Blair, Our Saviour's divine sermon on the mount … explained, volume 3, page 26:
For he that sticks not at one bad Action, will not scruple another to vindicate himself: And so, Devil-like, become the Tempter, and the Accuser too!1741, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXXVII”, in Pamela: Or, Virtue Rewarded. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […]; and J. Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 375:
The First-fruits were a common Oblation to their Deities; but the chief Part of their Worship consisted in sacrificiing Animals : And this they did out of a real Persuasion, that their Gods were pleased with their Blood, and were nourished with the Smoke, and Nidor of them; and therefore the more costly, they thought them the more acceptable, for which Reason, they stuck not sometimes to regale them with human Sacrifices.1743, Thomas Stackhouse, A Compleat Body of Speculative and Practical Divinity, edition 3 (London), page 524
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Dated To be puzzled (at something), have difficulty understanding.
He that has to do with young scholars, especially in mathematics, may perceive how their minds open by degrees, and how it is exercise alone that opens them. Sometimes they will stick a long time at a part of a demonstration, not for want of perceiving the connection of two ideas; that, to one whose understanding is more exercised, is as visible as any thing can be.a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC, § 6, pages 29–30:
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Dated To cause difficulties, scruples, or hesitation.
1708, Jonathan Swift, The Sentiments of a Church-of-England-Man, with respect to Religion and Government, in The Works of Jonathan Swift, 7th edition, Edinburgh: G. Hamilton et al., 1752, Volume I, Miscellanies in Prose, p. 73, […] this is the Difficulty that seemeth chiefly to stick with the most reasonable of those, who, from a mere Scruple of Conscience, refuse to join with us upon the Revolution Principle […] .
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To attach with glue or as if by gluing.
Stick the label on the jar.
11
To place, set down (quickly or carelessly).
Stick your bag over there and come with me.
Afore we got to the shanty Colonel Applegate stuck his head out of the door. His temper had been getting raggeder all the time, and the sousing he got when he fell overboard had just about ripped what was left of it to ravellings.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VIII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
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To press (something with a sharp point) into something else.
The balloon will pop when I stick this pin in it.
to stick a needle into one's finger
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The points of spears are stuck within the shield.1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
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To stab.
Now only in dialects
In certain of their sacrifices they had a lamb, they sticked him, they killed him, and made sacrifice of him: this lamb was Christ the Son of God, he was killed, sticked, and made a sweet-smelling sacrifice for our sins.circa 1583, John Jewel, in a sermon republished in 1847 in The Works of John Jewel, Bishop of Salisbury, portion 2, page 969
Thou stickest a dagger in me: I shall never see my gold again: fourscore ducats at a sitting! fourscore ducats!c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
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[…] ſome of them attempted with Spears to ſtick me in the Sides; but, by good luck, I had on me a Buff Jerkin, which they could not pierce.1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author Gives Some Account of Himself and Family, His First Inducements to Travel. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), page 10:
[…] would haue [=have] sticked him with a dagger […]1809, Grafton's chronicle, or history of England, volume 2, page 135:
It was a shame […] to stick him under the other gentleman's arm while he was redding the fray.1814 July 7, [Walter Scott], Waverley; or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC:
The defendant said he didn't shoot; "he sticked him with a knife."1908, The Northeastern Reporter, volume 85, page 693:
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To fix on a pointed instrument; to impale.
to stick an apple on a fork
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Archaic To adorn or deck with things fastened on as by piercing.
my shroud of white, stuck all with yewc. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:
Dated, Slang To impose upon; to compel to pay; sometimes, to cheat.
Behind all that languid talk she was feverishly computing, "I wonder how much I can stick him for it. A hundred and fifty? But it's worth that - two hundred. He won't value it unless the price is stiff."1950, Norman Lindsay, Dust or Polish?, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 158:
Chillin' in a Benz with my amigos / Tryin' to stick a nigga for his pesos1996, “No Time”, in Hard Core, performed by Lil' Kim ft. Diddy:
You ain't lickin' this, you ain't stickin' this1996, Lil' Kim, “Not Tonight”:
You leave your girl around me; if she's bad she's gonna get stuck.2005, “Stay Fly”, in Jordan Houston, Darnell Carlton, Paul Beauregard, Premro Smith, Marlon Goodwin, David Brown, Willie Hutchinson (lyrics), Most Known Unknown, performed by Three 6 Mafia (featuring Young Buck, 8 Ball, and MJG), Sony BMG:
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Blackjack, GamesUK To stand pat: to cease taking any more cards and finalize one's hand.
Etymology The Officials were known as the "Stickies" because they sold stick-on lilies to commemorate the Easter Rising. This was used to contrast from the nickname for the Provisionals, the pinnies (pejoratively pinheads), who used pinned-on lilies, though the latter nickname disappeared.
From Middle English stiken (“to stick, pierce, stab, remain embedded, be fastened”), from Old English stician (“to pierce, stab, remain embedded, be fastened”), from Proto-West Germanic *stikkōn, from Proto-Germanic *stikkōną (“to pierce, prick, be sharp”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tig-, *(s)teyg- (“to pierce, prick, be sharp”). See also the related Proto-Germanic *stikaną, whence West Frisian stekke, Low German steken, Dutch steken, German stechen; compare also Danish stikke, Swedish sticka. Cognate with the first etymology (same PIE root, different paths through Germanic and Old English), to stitch, and to etiquette, via French étiquette – see there for further discussion.
A thrust with a pointed instrument; a stab; an instance of sticking (pricking or piercing).
[…]; but let me tell you, my brave boy, that a stick with a sword hurts worse than a prick with a needle.1902, Luise Mühlbach, The merchant of Berlin, page 69:
What if Veronica Prego was lying about who drew the blood and it was her own carelessness, not Joyce Fogel's, which caused the needle stick?1990 April 21, Michael Bronski, “Innocent Victims”, in Gay Community News, page 11:
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Medicine, SciencesIn particular An instance of piercing someone with a needle, e.g. to draw blood or start an IV.
Most phlebotomists (those who do the actual venipuncture) seldom acknowledge a bad stick in front of a donor, especially if the donor is inexperienced and the vein is not a particularly trick one to reach. Rather than admit to blowing an easy stick, the phlebotomist may say or do things to indicate that nothing is wrong or may even place the blame on someone else, usually the donor.1987, Joseph A. Kotarba, Andrea Fontana, The Existential Self in Society, page 145:
Also, for outpatient procedures, placing a central line (due to a difficult stick) because you don't want to place an IV in the foot may be overkill, and cumbersome for ambulating patients. Bringing in the "big guns”: You may need to use an ultrasound machine when you anticipate a difficult stick […]2012, Christopher Gallagher, Steven Ginsberg, Michael Lewis, Anesthesia Unplugged, Second Edition, page 5:
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[…] hoping to get an easy stick. Well, that partially worked. She got the needle in the correct vein on the second stick. Ouch, ouch!2024, Hope Is All I Have: Defying the Odds of Cancer, William Douglas:
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Medicine, SciencesColloquial A person whom one is piercing with a needle to draw blood or start an IV (especially in the context of how difficult or easy this is).
I was called to start an IV on a “difficult stick.” (Notice the term we so commonly use to describe a human being who is difficult to hook up to an IV.)2009, Orlando Jay Perez, The Patient Experience, page 32:
[…] the patient is a 'difficult stick' (that is, difficult to draw blood from) and as such will likely have to endure multiple painful attempts beyond the first blood draw, to obtain the culture; […]2017, Robert L. Wears, Erik Hollnagel, Resilient Health Care, Volume 2:
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She put the tourniquet on Bella's arm […] Bella wasn't going to be an easy stick.2024, Harlequin Medical Romance September 2024, Box Set 2 of 2 (Janice Lynn, Luana DaRosa, Charlotte Hawkes)
That which sticks (remains attached to another surface).
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Fishing, Hobbies, Lifestyle The amount of fishing line resting on the water surface before a cast; line stick.
Problem: A lot of stick and a lack of energy on the forward stroke.2004, Simon Gawesworth, Spey Casting, →ISBN, page 47:
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Informal, Rare One who sticks at something; one who persists.
There had been a reference to the language. "I often wished that I was a better stick at it," said Tulloch. "I'd picked up a bit in Bombay and of course I threw myself into it when Fraser got me the post. […]"1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC:
Etymology From Middle English stick, stik, steik, from Middle Dutch stic, stec, stuc (“piece”), from Old Dutch *stukki, from Proto-West Germanic *stukkī, from Proto-Germanic *stukkiją (“piece”). Cognate with German Stück (“piece”), Middle English stucche, sticche (“piece”).
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Obsolete The customary length (according to the material used) of a piece or roll of textile fabrics imported from Flanders.