a frame that supports a boat while it is under construction
"The carpenter carefully positioned the wooden stocks to hold the hull steady while he nailed on the planks."
a frame for constraining an animal while it is receiving veterinary attention or while being shod
"The vet gently secured the horse in stocks before applying the new shoes to its hooves."
a former instrument of punishment consisting of a heavy timber frame with holes in which the feet (and sometimes the hands) of an offender could be locked
"The local history museum recently installed new stocks to recreate the grim scene from the town's 1790 execution records."
plural of stock
"The townsfolk gathered at the market square to watch as the thief was forced into the stocks for his thefts."
A device, similar to a pillory, formerly used for public humiliation and punishment.
In plain English: Stocks are shares that represent ownership in a company and can be bought or sold to make money.
"The grocery store runs out of apples, so we need to restock our shelves with more fruit."
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of stock
"She stocks her pantry with enough canned goods to last through the winter."
In plain English: To stock something means to fill it with supplies or goods so that there is enough for people to buy or use.
"The company stocks its shelves with fresh produce every morning."
A surname.
"During the family reunion, Cousin Mary and her brother David Stocks surprised everyone by arriving together for the first time in years."
Derived from Old English stoc, originally meaning a stump, stock, or root. The term later shifted to refer to wooden frames used for restraining prisoners before evolving into its modern financial sense of shares in a company.