stick English · revision 3318

+ English has two words spelled ''stick'', both from Old English: the noun, a slender piece of wood, and the verb, “to pierce, to adhere”.^(Cresswell 2021)^(Hoad 1986) They are probably connected, the basic idea being one of piercing or pricking.^(Cresswell 2021)^(Hoad 1986)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /stɪk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|piece of wood}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1000|origins=ine-pro *steig-}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The piece of wood is [[inh|enm|stikke]],^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline) [[inh|ang|sticca|t=twig, rod, peg, spoon]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[gmw-pro|*stikkō]],^(Hoad 1986) from the Germanic base [[m|gem-pro|*stik-|t=to pierce, prick]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[ine-pro|*steig-|t=to stick; pointed]].^(Etymonline) It is cognate with Dutch stek “cutting”, German Stecken “staff” and Old Norse stika “stick, yardstick”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) If so, it first meant a sharp stick, perhaps pointed for a purpose.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A short piece of wood, and a slender twig or branch: about 1000.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A cudgel or staff used as a weapon is from the mid-12th century,^(Etymonline) as is ''sticks and stones'', at first meaning every part of a building.^(Etymonline) A stick-shaped piece of rolled material, as of cinnamon, is from the late 15th century.^(Etymonline) The stick used to push or strike a ball in a game is from the 1670s, first in billiards.^(Etymonline) A stiff, awkward or dull person is from about 1800,^(Etymonline) a conductor's baton from 1849,^(Etymonline) and a gear lever from 1914.^(Etymonline) Hoad dates the general sense “object in long, slender form” to the 15th century.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1000 – a piece of wood; a twig.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * mid-12th century – a cudgel, and ''sticks and stones''.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 15th century – a stick of cinnamon.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1670s – a stick for a ball game.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1800 – a stiff, awkward person.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1849 – a conductor's baton.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1914 – a gear lever.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A long, slender piece of wood, as a twig cut from a tree.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A [[cane]] or walking stick; a [[club]] or [[baton]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A long, thin piece of something: ''a stick of celery''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # An implement for striking a ball, as in [[hockey]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A gear lever or [[joystick]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(informal)'' Criticism or punishment: ''to take stick''.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[stick figure]]

+ * [[stick insect]]

+ * [[walking stick]]

+ * [[yardstick]]

+ * [[drumstick]]

+ * [[joystick]]

+ * [[chopstick]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|pierce; adhere}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 900|origins=ine-pro *steig-}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The verb is [[inh|enm|stiken]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) [[inh|ang|stician|t=to pierce, stab; to remain fixed]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[gem-pro|*stekaną|t=to pierce, prick]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[ine-pro|*steig-|t=to stick; pointed]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) also the source of [[la|īnstīgāre|t=to goad]] and of Greek stízein “to prick” and stigma.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) It is cognate with Dutch steken and German stechen “to stab”.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) Some have tried to connect it with the root of [[sting]], but Boutkan finds “formal problems”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To stab or pierce with a weapon: before 900 in the OED,^(OED 1989) probably before 1200 as stiken in Layamon's ''Brut'' in Barnhart.^(Barnhart 1988) Old English already had “to remain embedded, stay fixed”.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From piercing came the sense of putting something where it will remain, with or without penetration.^(Etymonline) “To fasten in place” is from the late 13th century,^(Etymonline) and “to cause to adhere” from the 13th century.^(Hoad 1986) “To remain in the mind” is from about 1300,^(Etymonline) and “to persist, insist” from the mid-15th century.^(Etymonline) ''Stick out'', “to protrude”, is from the 1560s.^(Etymonline) Slang ''stick around'', “to remain”, is from 1912,^(Etymonline) ''stick it'' as rude advice by 1922,^(Etymonline) and ''sticking point'' from 1956.^(Etymonline) ''Sticky'' is from the late 17th century,^(Cresswell 2021) and ''a sticky end'' is first found in a 1904 account of an American baseball game.^(Cresswell 2021) The past tense is ''stuck''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 900 – to stab, pierce.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 13th century – to fasten in place.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1300 – to stay in the mind.^(Etymonline)

+ * mid-15th century – to persist.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1560s – ''stick out''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1912 – ''stick around''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1956 – ''sticking point''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To pierce or [[puncture]] with something pointed; to stab.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To push a pointed thing into something.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To fasten or [[adhere]] with glue or a similar substance.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To remain attached or in place; to become fixed or jammed.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(informal)'' To put: ''stick it on the table''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''stick to'': to keep to a plan or principle.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(informal)'' To tolerate: ''I can't stick it''.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sticker]]

+ * [[sticky]]

+ * [[stuck]]

+ * [[stick-up]]

+ * [[stick-in-the-mud]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[stake]]

+ * [[stitch]]

+ * [[stigma]]

+ * [[instigate]]

+ * [[distinguish]]

+ * [[etiquette]]

+ * [[ticket]]

+ * [[sting]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In printing, a ''stick'' (composing stick) holds set type,^(Etymonline) and in the OED a separate ''stick'' is a measure of small eels, recorded from 1086.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}