stick

A stick can be a simple branch you pick up off the ground, perfect for poking at things or helping you walk. But "stick" does much more than name a piece of wood. It can also mean to stay with something, like "Stick to the plan!" It can also mean to attach firmly, as when glue sticks to paper.

It can also describe something that stays in your mind or will not go away. A song can stick in your head, and a habit can stick with you for years. In everyday English, the word often moves between physical and figurative use, so it can talk about wood, staying loyal, or something staying in place.

The word "stick" is surprisingly versatile. Most commonly, it refers to a thin piece of wood, often one broken off from a tree or bush. It might be something you find on a walk, use as a walking stick, throw for a dog, or gather for a fire: "She used a sturdy stick to help her climb the steep hill."

As a verb, "stick" has several important meanings. It can mean to attach firmly, like tape sticking to a surface: "The label wouldn't stick to the wet bottle." It can mean to stay with a plan, rule, or belief: "Stick to your principles, even when it's hard." It can also mean to put something into or onto something else, as in sticking a pin in fabric or sticking a note on the fridge. Another common use is for things that remain in place or in the mind: a tune can stick in your head, and a memory can stick with you for years.

The word also appears in many everyday phrases. If something is "sticky," it may be covered with a glue-like substance, but a "sticky situation" is a difficult or awkward problem. To be "stuck" is to be unable to move, escape, or make progress. In British English, if someone "gives you stick," they are criticizing or teasing you. So whether it names a simple piece of wood, describes something attached, or talks about staying, inserting, or not going away, "stick" covers a wide range of meanings and contexts.