A Stick

1. An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.
   1. A small, thin branch from a tree or bush; a twig; a branch. Synonyms: **branch, twig, rice (dialectal), kindling, brush (uncountable)
   2. A relatively long, thin piece of wood, of any size.
   3. (US) A timber board, especially a two by four (inches).Synonym: two by four
   4. A cane or walking stick (usually wooden, metal or plastic) to aid in walking. Synonyms: **cane, walking stick
   5. A cudgel or truncheon (usually of wood, metal or plastic), especially one carried by police or guards.
   6. (carpentry) The vertical member of a cope-and-stick joint.
   7. (nautical) A mast or part of a mast of a ship; also, a yard.
   8. (figurative) A piece (of furniture, especially if wooden). Synonyms: **piece, item
2. Any roughly cylindrical (or rectangular) unit of a substance.
   1. (chiefly 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).
   2. A standard rectangular (often thin) piece of chewing gum.
   3. (slang) A cigarette (usually a tobacco cigarette, less often a marijuana cigarette).Synonyms: joint, reefer
3. Material or objects attached to a stick or the like.
   1. A bunch of something wrapped around or attached to a stick.
   2. (archaic) A scroll that is rolled around (mounted on, attached to) a stick.
   3. (military) 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. Synonym: **train
4. A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.
   1. (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. Synonyms: **stickshift, gearstick

• (US, colloquial, uncountable) Vehicles, collectively, equipped with manual transmissions.
  2. (aviation) 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 commnly seen.)
  3. (aviation, uncountable) Use of the stick to control the aircraft.
  4. (computing) A memory stick.
  5. (dated, letterpress typography) A composing stick, the tool used by compositors to assemble lines of type.
  6. (jazz, slang) The clarinet. Synonyms: **licorice stick, liquorice stick

1. (sports) A stick-like item:
   1. [

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a lacrosse stick

(sports, generically) 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.

1. 2. (horse racing) The short whip carried by a jockey.
   3. (boardsports) A board as used in board sports, such as a surfboard, snowboard, or skateboard.
   4. (golf) The pole bearing a small flag that marks the hole.Synonyms: pin, flagstick

His wedge shot bounced off the stick and went in the hole.

1. 5. (US, slang, uncountable) The cue used in billiards, pool, snooker, etc.

His stroke with that two-piece stick is a good as anybody's in the club.

1. 1. 1. The game of pool, or an individual pool game.
2. (sports, uncountable) Ability; specifically:
   1. (golf) The long-range driving ability of a golf club. quotations ▼
   2. (baseball) The potential hitting power of a specific bat.
   3. (baseball) General hitting ability.
   4. (field hockey or ice hockey) The potential accuracy of a hockey stick, implicating also the player using it.
3. (slang, dated) A person or group of people. (Perhaps, in some senses, because people are, broadly speaking, tall and thin, like pieces of wood.) quotations ▼
   1. A thin or wiry person; particularly a flat-chested woman. quotations ▼
   2. (magic) An assistant planted in the audience. quotations ▼Synonyms: plant, shill
   3. A stiff, stupidly obstinate person.
   4. (military aviation, from joystick) A fighter pilot. quotations ▼
   5. (military, South Africa) A small group of (infantry) soldiers. quotations ▼
4. Encouragement or punishment, or (resulting) vigour or other improved behavior.
   1. 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. Compare carrot.) quotations ▼
   2. (slang, uncountable) Corporal punishment; beatings. quotations ▼
   3. (slang) Vigor; spirit; effort, energy, intensity. quotations ▼

He really gave that digging some stick.

= he threw himself into the task of digging

She really gave that bully some stick.

= she berated him (this sense melts into the previous sense, "punishment")

Give it some stick!

1. 4. (slang) Vigorous driving of a car; gas. quotations ▼
2. A measure.
   1. (obsolete) An English Imperial unit of length equal to 2 inches. quotations ▼
   2. (archaic, rare) A quantity of eels, usually 25. quotations ▼Synonyms: stich, broach

Usage notes[edit]

• (furniture): Generally used in the negative, or in contexts expressive of poverty or lack.