an implement consisting of a length of wood
"he collected dry sticks for a campfire"
"the kid had a candied apple on a stick"
a small thin branch of a tree
"I used a broken stick to poke at the fire and keep it burning."
a lever used by a pilot to control the ailerons and elevators of an airplane
"The veteran instructor adjusted his grip on the stick before guiding the small plane through its final landing approach."
a rectangular quarter pound block of butter or margarine
"She patted some salt onto the stick before slicing it to spread on her toast."
a long implement (usually made of wood) that is shaped so that hockey or polo players can hit a puck or ball
"The goalie deflected the hard stick against his pads to stop the puck from entering the net."
marijuana leaves rolled into a cigarette for smoking
"He handed me a stick of his homemade hash before we started driving to the coast."
An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.
"The police raided the bar where several sticks from the Official IRA were meeting to plan their next operation."
[[Image:Lichen stick.jpg|right|thumb|Fungi growing on a stick of wood]]A small, thin branch from a tree or bush; a twig; a branch.
The traction of tires on the road surface.
Criticism or ridicule.
A member of the Official IRA.
In plain English: A stick is a long, thin piece of wood that has fallen from a tree or been broken off.
"I accidentally dropped my pencil stick on the floor."
Usage: Use "stick" to refer to any elongated piece of wood used as a tool, such as a walking aid or baton, rather than the specific botanical term for a seed-bearing fruit like an apple core. When describing small branches from trees or bushes, this word functions interchangeably with "twig," though it often implies something slightly thicker or more substantial.
stay put (in a certain place)
"We are staying in Detroit; we are not moving to Cincinnati"
"Stay put in the corner here!"
"Stick around and you will learn something!"
cover and decorate with objects that pierce the surface
"stick some feathers in the turkey before you serve it"
fasten into place by fixing an end or point into something
"stick the corner of the sheet under the mattress"
To cut a piece of wood to be the stick member of a cope-and-stick joint.
"The wet mud stuck firmly to his boots as he walked through the garden."
To become or remain attached; to adhere.
In plain English: To stick is to push something firmly into another surface so it stays there.
"Please stick your hand in the bag to see if there is anything inside."
Likely to stick; sticking, sticky.
"The honey spilled on the counter and quickly stuck until I had to wipe it up with a wet cloth."
In plain English: Stick means being stubborn and refusing to change your mind or do what others ask.
"The old stick insect blended perfectly with the tree bark."
The Chapman Stick, an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman.
"After years of searching for a unique sound, she finally bought her own Chapman Stick to join the progressive rock band."
The word "stick" comes from the Old English sticca, meaning a rod or twig. It ultimately traces back to a Proto-Indo-European root related to piercing or being sharp.