stick
car|rot and stick
also carrot-and-stick
[ADJ] ADJ n
If an organization has a carrot and stick approach or policy, they offer people things in order to persuade them to do something and punish them if they refuse to do it.
The government is proclaiming a carrot-and-stick approach to the problem.gear stick
see gear leverjoss stick /dʒ'ɒs stɪk/ (joss sticks)
[N-COUNT]
A joss stick is a thin stick covered with a substance that burns very slowly and smells pleasant.stick around
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you stick around, you stay where you are, often because you are waiting for something. (INFORMAL)
Stick around a while and see what develops...stick at
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick at a task or activity, you continue doing it, even if it is difficult.
You will find it hard at first, but stick at it...stick by
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick by someone, you continue to give them help or support.
...friends who stuck by me during the difficult times as Council Leader...
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick by a promise, agreement, decision, or principle, you do what you said you would do, or do not change your mind.
But I made my decision then and stuck by it.
= stick tostick in|sect (stick insects)
also stick-insect
[N-COUNT]
A stick insect is an insect with a long body and thin legs. It looks like a small stick.stick out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you stick out part of your body, you extend it away from your body.
She made a face and stuck out her tongue at him...
He stuck his hand out and he said, `Good evening.'
to stick your neck out: see neck
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P from n
If something sticks out, it is very noticeable because it is unusual.
What had Cutter done to make him stick out from the crowd?
to stick out a mile: see mile
to stick out like a sore thumb: see thumb
= stand out
3 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone in an unpleasant or difficult situation sticks it out, they do not leave or give up.
I really didn't like New York, but I wanted to stick it out a little bit longer.stick shift (stick shifts)
[N-COUNT]
A stick shift is the lever that you use to change gear in a car or other vehicle. (AM; in BRIT, usually use gear lever)
= gearshiftstick to
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick to something or someone when you are travelling, you stay close to them.
There are interesting hikes inland, but most ramblers stick to the clifftops...
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick to something, you continue doing, using, saying, or talking about it, rather than changing to something else.
Perhaps he should have stuck to writing...
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n, V P n
If you stick to a promise, agreement, decision, or principle, you do what you said you would do, or do not change your mind.
Immigrant support groups are waiting to see if he sticks to his word...
But one problem is that few people can stick to a diet for long.
to stick to your guns: see gun
= stick by
4 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n, V P n
If you stick to rules, you do what they say you must do.
Obviously we are disappointed but the committee could do nothing less than stick to the rules...
Police must stick to the highest standards if they are to win back public confidence.stick together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If people stick together, they stay with each other and support each other.
If we all stick together, we ought to be okay.stick with
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick with something, you do not change to something else.
They prefer, in the end, to stick with what they know.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick with someone, you stay close to them.
Tugging the woman's arm, she pulled her to her side saying: `You just stick with me, dear.'♦ stick1 /st'ɪk/ (stick sticks) NOUN USES
1 [N-COUNT]
A stick is a thin branch which has fallen off a tree.
...people carrying bundles of dried sticks to sell for firewood.
2 [N-COUNT]
A stick is a long thin piece of wood which is used for supporting someone's weight or for hitting people or animals.
He looks old and walks with a stick...
Crowds armed with sticks and stones took to the streets.
see also carrot and stick
3 [N-COUNT] usu n N
A stick is a long thin piece of wood which is used for a particular purpose.
...kebab sticks.
...lolly sticks.
...drum sticks.
4 [N-COUNT] usu n N
Some long thin objects that are used in sports are called sticks.
...lacrosse sticks.
...hockey sticks.
...ski-sticks.
5 [N-COUNT] usu N of n, n N
A stick of something is a long thin piece of it.
...a stick of celery.
...cinnamon sticks.
6 [N-UNCOUNT]
If you give someone some stick, you criticize them or tease them roughly. (BRIT INFORMAL)
It's not motorists who give you the most stick, it's the general public...
I get some stick from the lads because of my faith but I don't mind.
7 [N-PLURAL] the N
If you say that someone lives in the sticks, you mean that they live a long way from any large cities. (INFORMAL)
He lived out in the sticks somewhere.
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone gets the wrong end of the stick or gets hold of the wrong end of the stick, they do not understand something correctly and get the wrong idea about it. (INFORMAL)♦♦ stick2 /st'ɪk/ (stick sticks sticking stuck) VERB USES
Please look at category 9 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 [VERB] V n prep/adv, V n prep/adv
If you stick something somewhere, you put it there in a rather casual way. (INFORMAL)
He folded the papers and stuck them in his desk drawer...
Jack opened his door and stuck his head out.
2 [VERB] V n in/into/through n, V n in/into/through n, V in n
If you stick a pointed object in something, or if it sticks in something, it goes into it or through it by making a cut or hole.
Some punk stuck a knife in her last night...
The soldiers went at once to the mound and began to stick their bayonets through it...
The knife stuck in the ground at his feet.
3 [VERB] V adv/prep, V adv/prep, V adv/prep
If something is sticking out from a surface or object, it extends up or away from it. If something is sticking into a surface or object, it is partly in it.
They lay where they had fallen from the crane, sticking out of the water...
His hair sticks up in half a dozen directions.
...when we see her with lots of tubes and needles sticking into her little body.
4 [VERB] V n prep, V n with adv, V n with adv
If you stick one thing to another, you attach it using glue, sticky tape, or another sticky substance.
We just stuck it to the window...
He has nowhere to stick up his posters...
Stick down any loose bits of flooring.
5 [VERB] V to n, V together
If one thing sticks to another, it becomes attached to it and is difficult to remove.
Peel away the waxed paper if it has stuck to the bottom of the cake...
If left to stand, cooked pasta sticks together.
6 [VERB] V in n
If something sticks in your mind, you remember it for a long time.
The incident stuck in my mind because it was the first example I had seen of racism in that country...
7 [VERB] V
If something which can usually be moved sticks, it becomes fixed in one position.
The needle on the dial went right round to fifty feet, which was as far as it could go, and there it stuck...
8
see also stuck
9
to stick in your throat: see throatwalk|ing stick (walking sticks)
[N-COUNT]
A walking stick is a long wooden stick which a person can lean on while walking.
also carrot-and-stick
[ADJ] ADJ n
If an organization has a carrot and stick approach or policy, they offer people things in order to persuade them to do something and punish them if they refuse to do it.
The government is proclaiming a carrot-and-stick approach to the problem.gear stick
see gear leverjoss stick /dʒ'ɒs stɪk/ (joss sticks)
[N-COUNT]
A joss stick is a thin stick covered with a substance that burns very slowly and smells pleasant.stick around
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you stick around, you stay where you are, often because you are waiting for something. (INFORMAL)
Stick around a while and see what develops...stick at
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick at a task or activity, you continue doing it, even if it is difficult.
You will find it hard at first, but stick at it...stick by
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick by someone, you continue to give them help or support.
...friends who stuck by me during the difficult times as Council Leader...
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick by a promise, agreement, decision, or principle, you do what you said you would do, or do not change your mind.
But I made my decision then and stuck by it.
= stick tostick in|sect (stick insects)
also stick-insect
[N-COUNT]
A stick insect is an insect with a long body and thin legs. It looks like a small stick.stick out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you stick out part of your body, you extend it away from your body.
She made a face and stuck out her tongue at him...
He stuck his hand out and he said, `Good evening.'
to stick your neck out: see neck
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P from n
If something sticks out, it is very noticeable because it is unusual.
What had Cutter done to make him stick out from the crowd?
to stick out a mile: see mile
to stick out like a sore thumb: see thumb
= stand out
3 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone in an unpleasant or difficult situation sticks it out, they do not leave or give up.
I really didn't like New York, but I wanted to stick it out a little bit longer.stick shift (stick shifts)
[N-COUNT]
A stick shift is the lever that you use to change gear in a car or other vehicle. (AM; in BRIT, usually use gear lever)
= gearshiftstick to
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick to something or someone when you are travelling, you stay close to them.
There are interesting hikes inland, but most ramblers stick to the clifftops...
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick to something, you continue doing, using, saying, or talking about it, rather than changing to something else.
Perhaps he should have stuck to writing...
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n, V P n
If you stick to a promise, agreement, decision, or principle, you do what you said you would do, or do not change your mind.
Immigrant support groups are waiting to see if he sticks to his word...
But one problem is that few people can stick to a diet for long.
to stick to your guns: see gun
= stick by
4 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n, V P n
If you stick to rules, you do what they say you must do.
Obviously we are disappointed but the committee could do nothing less than stick to the rules...
Police must stick to the highest standards if they are to win back public confidence.stick together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If people stick together, they stay with each other and support each other.
If we all stick together, we ought to be okay.stick with
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick with something, you do not change to something else.
They prefer, in the end, to stick with what they know.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you stick with someone, you stay close to them.
Tugging the woman's arm, she pulled her to her side saying: `You just stick with me, dear.'♦ stick1 /st'ɪk/ (stick sticks) NOUN USES
1 [N-COUNT]
A stick is a thin branch which has fallen off a tree.
...people carrying bundles of dried sticks to sell for firewood.
2 [N-COUNT]
A stick is a long thin piece of wood which is used for supporting someone's weight or for hitting people or animals.
He looks old and walks with a stick...
Crowds armed with sticks and stones took to the streets.
see also carrot and stick
3 [N-COUNT] usu n N
A stick is a long thin piece of wood which is used for a particular purpose.
...kebab sticks.
...lolly sticks.
...drum sticks.
4 [N-COUNT] usu n N
Some long thin objects that are used in sports are called sticks.
...lacrosse sticks.
...hockey sticks.
...ski-sticks.
5 [N-COUNT] usu N of n, n N
A stick of something is a long thin piece of it.
...a stick of celery.
...cinnamon sticks.
6 [N-UNCOUNT]
If you give someone some stick, you criticize them or tease them roughly. (BRIT INFORMAL)
It's not motorists who give you the most stick, it's the general public...
I get some stick from the lads because of my faith but I don't mind.
7 [N-PLURAL] the N
If you say that someone lives in the sticks, you mean that they live a long way from any large cities. (INFORMAL)
He lived out in the sticks somewhere.
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone gets the wrong end of the stick or gets hold of the wrong end of the stick, they do not understand something correctly and get the wrong idea about it. (INFORMAL)♦♦ stick2 /st'ɪk/ (stick sticks sticking stuck) VERB USES
Please look at category 9 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 [VERB] V n prep/adv, V n prep/adv
If you stick something somewhere, you put it there in a rather casual way. (INFORMAL)
He folded the papers and stuck them in his desk drawer...
Jack opened his door and stuck his head out.
2 [VERB] V n in/into/through n, V n in/into/through n, V in n
If you stick a pointed object in something, or if it sticks in something, it goes into it or through it by making a cut or hole.
Some punk stuck a knife in her last night...
The soldiers went at once to the mound and began to stick their bayonets through it...
The knife stuck in the ground at his feet.
3 [VERB] V adv/prep, V adv/prep, V adv/prep
If something is sticking out from a surface or object, it extends up or away from it. If something is sticking into a surface or object, it is partly in it.
They lay where they had fallen from the crane, sticking out of the water...
His hair sticks up in half a dozen directions.
...when we see her with lots of tubes and needles sticking into her little body.
4 [VERB] V n prep, V n with adv, V n with adv
If you stick one thing to another, you attach it using glue, sticky tape, or another sticky substance.
We just stuck it to the window...
He has nowhere to stick up his posters...
Stick down any loose bits of flooring.
5 [VERB] V to n, V together
If one thing sticks to another, it becomes attached to it and is difficult to remove.
Peel away the waxed paper if it has stuck to the bottom of the cake...
If left to stand, cooked pasta sticks together.
6 [VERB] V in n
If something sticks in your mind, you remember it for a long time.
The incident stuck in my mind because it was the first example I had seen of racism in that country...
7 [VERB] V
If something which can usually be moved sticks, it becomes fixed in one position.
The needle on the dial went right round to fifty feet, which was as far as it could go, and there it stuck...
8
see also stuck
9
to stick in your throat: see throatwalk|ing stick (walking sticks)
[N-COUNT]
A walking stick is a long wooden stick which a person can lean on while walking.