Stick

stik, n. A small shoot, or branch, of a tree or shrub, cut off: a rod: staff; any stem or branch of a tree, of any size, cut for fuel or timber; a piece of wood, esp. a long, slender piece anything shaped like a stick. (Print.) An instrument of adjustable width in which type arranged in words and lines: see Composing-stick. A thrust; stab. — v. [stuck; sticking.] To cause to enter, as a pointed instrument; to pierce, stab, kill by piercing; to fasten or cause to remain by piercing to set, fix in; to set with something pointed; to fix on a pointed instrument to attach by causing to adhere to the surface. (Print.) To compose or arrange in a composing-stick. — v. To hold to, by cleaving to the surface, as by tenacity of attraction to adhere to remain where placed; to cling, be united closely; to be hindered from proceeding, stop; to be embarra ed or puzzled, hesitate to cause difficulties or scruples; to adhere closely in friendship and affection. [AS. stician, D. steken, to stick, G. stecken, to stick, set, plant, stick fast, remain, AS. sticca, a stick, peg, nail sting, stitch, stagger, stack, stake, steak, stock, stoker, distinguish, extinct, in- — stinct, prestige, stimulate, stigma.] Golil-stick. A title of the colonels of the 2 regiments of Life Guards in England, who attend the sovereign on state occasions.— Silver-stick. A title given to the field-officer of the Life Guards when on duty at the palace. — To stick at. To hesitate. — To by. To adhere closely, be constant, be firm in supporting, be troublesome by adhering. — To oxd. To project; to be prominent.— To To be firm, be persevering. — Stick'y, a. [-ier; -iest.] Inclined to stick; having the quality of adhering to a surface; adhesive gluey; viscous viscid glutinous; tenacious. — Stickine , n. — Stick '-lac, n. Lac in its natural state, incrusting small twigs.— Stickle'back, -1-bak, n. A small nest-building fish, of several speend, eve, term Yn, ice Qdd, tone. 6r 589 STIOKLE 569 cies, — so called from the spines which arm back, ventral fins, and other parts. [AS.s7(ce?,a prickle, sting (fr. stician), and E. back.] Stickle, stik/1, v. [-led (-Id), -ling.] To take part Stickleback, with one side or the other; to contend, contest, or altercate, in a pertinacious manner on insufficient grounds; to stand for one's rights. [ME. styckyll, to part combatants or settle disputes, stightlen, to dispose, order, govern, subdue, AS. stihtiaii, to order, govern, dispose stand, stop.] — Stickler, n. One who stickles; one who arbitrates a duel a second an umpire; one who pertinaciously contends for some trifling thing. Stiff, a. Not easily bent not flexible or pliant not liquid or fluid: thick and tenaciousv inspi ated; impetuous in motion; not easily subdued; tirm in resistance or perseverance; rigfd; inflexible; stubborn; obstinate; pertinacious; rigorous; not natural and easy; formal in manner. (Naut.) Bearing a pre of canvas without careening much. [AS stif,D.stijf; Lithuan. stiprus. strong, L. stipes, a stem, trunk of a tree, Skr. sihapaya, to establish, E. staff, stand, q. v.] — Stiffen, stif'n, v. [-ened (-nd), -ENLVG.J To make make le pliant or flexible; to inspi ate, make more thick or viscous, —v. To become become more rigid or le flexible: to become more thick, or le soft, be inspi ated; to become le susceptible of oppre ion, grow more obstinate. — Stiffly, adv. In a stiff manner; firmly; strongly; rigidly; obstinately.—Stiffne , rc.—Stiff necked, -nekt, a. Stubborn; inflexible; obstinate; contumacious. Stifle, stf [-fled (-fld), -fling.] To stop the breath, choke, oppre with foul air, etc., suffocate, smother; to extinguish, deaden, quench; to suppre the manifestation or report of, conceal, repre , destroy. — n. (Far.) The joint on the hind leg of a horse next to the flank, and corresponding to the knee in man: see Horse. A disease in the knee-pan of a horse or other animal. [Ic. stifla, to dam up (water), block up, choke, Norweg. stirla, to stop, hem in, stiffen, freq. of stiva, to stiffen stevedore, OF. estiver, L. stipare, to compre , pack tight.]