stake

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see also: Stake

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Pronunciation

• IPA: /steɪk/

Noun

stake (plural stakes)

1. A piece of wood or other material, usually long and slender, pointed at one end so as to be easily driven into the ground as a marker or a support or stay.

   We have surveyor's stakes at all four corners of this field, to mark exactly its borders.

   • A sharpened stake strong Dryas found.

2. (croquet) A piece of wood driven in the ground, placed in the middle of the court, that is used as the finishing point after scoring 12 hoops in croquet.
3. A stick inserted upright in a lop, eye, or mortise, at the side or end of a cart, flat car, flatbed trailer, or the like, to prevent goods from falling off.
4. (with definite article) The piece of timber to which a person condemned to death was affixed to be burned.

   Thomas Cranmer was burnt at the stake.

5. A share or interest in a business or a given situation.

   The owners let the managers eventually earn a stake in the business.

6. That which is laid down as a wager; that which is staked or hazarded; a pledge.
7. A small anvil usually furnished with a tang to enter a hole in a bench top, as used by tinsmiths, blacksmiths, etc., for light work, punching hole in or cutting a work piece, or for specific forming techniques etc.
8. (Mormonism) A territorial division comprising all the Mormons (typically several thousand) in a geographical area.

   • Every city, or stake, including a chief town and surrounding towns, has its president, with two counselors; and this president has a high council of chosen men.

Synonyms

• (croquet) peg

Related terms

• burn at the stake
• pull up stakes
• stake of Zion
• table stakes
• (wager or pledge) at stake

Translations

• French: pieu, pal, tuteur, jalon
• German: Pfahl, Pflock
• Italian: palo, paletto, picchetto, piolo, stecca, tutore
• Portuguese: estaca
• Russian: кол
• Spanish: estaca

Translations

• Italian: palo, stecca, sponda
• Russian: щеко́лда

Translations

• French: pieu
• German: Marterpfahl, Scheiterhaufen
• Italian: rogo
• Russian: столб

Translations

• French: participation
• German: Anteil
• Italian: partecipazione, interesse
• Portuguese: participação
• Russian: до́ля
• Spanish: participación

Translations

• French: enjeu, mise
• German: Einsatz, Poule (obsolete)
• Italian: posta, in gioco, in palio, palio, posta in gioco
• Russian: ста́вка

Translations

• French: pieu
• German: Pfahl
• Italian: palo
• Portuguese: estaca
• Russian: кол
• Spanish: estaca

Verb

stake (stakes, present participle staking; past and past participle staked)

1. (transitive) To fasten, support, defend, or delineate with stakes.

   to stake vines or plants

2. (transitive) To pierce or wound with a stake.
   • 2014, A. J. Gallant, Dracula: Hearts of Stone

     “You ladies happen to notice what happened to this vampire? This just happened. Did you see who staked him?”

3. (transitive) To put at risk upon success in competition, or upon a future contingency.
   • 1709, Alexander Pope, Pastorals, Spring:

     I'll stake yon lamb, that near the fountain plays.

4. (transitive) To provide another with money in order to engage in an activity as betting or a business venture.

   John went broke, so to keep him playing, Jill had to stake him.

   His family staked him $10,000 to get his business started.

Synonyms

• (put at risk) bet, hazard, wager

Translations

• Portuguese: estacar
• Russian: укрепля́ть
• Spanish: estacar

Translations

• Portuguese: estacar
• Spanish: estacar

Translations

• Italian: mettere in gioco
• Russian: ста́вить на карту
• Spanish: poner en juego

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Stake

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Proper noun

1. Surname

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