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stake

n. · v.
US //ˈsteɪk// UK //stˈeɪk// stake
  1. 1 a pointed stick (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a strong, pointed piece of wood or metal pushed into the ground to support something.

    a piece of wood or metal, pointed at one end, designed to be driven into the ground as a support, marker, or tether.

    Example

    He used a wooden stake to support the young tomato plant in the garden.

    Example

    The surveyors drove a steel stake into the corner of the lot to mark the exact boundary of the property.
  2. 2 financial interest (n.)
    C1 Advanced Academic

    a share or part of a business or a situation.

    a financial or personal interest in an enterprise, often representing a percentage of ownership.

    Example

    The company bought a twenty percent stake in the new tech startup.

    Example

    Having a significant stake in the outcome of the merger, the shareholders demanded a more transparent reporting process.
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  1. 3 money at risk (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the money or something valuable that you risk losing in a bet or a game.

    the sum of money or value of property risked on the outcome of a wager or contest.

    Example

    The stakes were high during the final round of the poker game.

    Example

    In high-stakes diplomacy, even a minor misunderstanding can lead to a total breakdown of international relations.

    Usage

    Often used in the plural form 'stakes' when referring to the importance or risk of a situation.
  2. 4 to mark or support (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to mark an area or support a plant using stakes.

    to delineate, secure, or support by means of stakes; often used with 'out' to mean claiming territory.

    Example

    The gold miners decided to stake their claim along the river bank.

    Example

    The gardener spent the afternoon staking the tall lilies to protect them from the predicted heavy winds.
  3. 5 to risk or fund (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    to risk something valuable on a result, or to give someone money for a business.

    to hazard or risk something on an event; also, to provide financial backing for a venture or person.

    Example

    He was willing to stake his entire reputation on the success of the project.

    Example

    The venture capitalist agreed to stake the young entrepreneur for the first year of operations in exchange for equity.
Origin

From Middle English stake, from Old English staca (“pin, tack, stake”), from Proto-West Germanic stakō, from Proto-Germanic stakô (“stake”), from Proto-Indo-European stog-, steg- (“stake”). Cognate with Scots stak, staik, Saterland Frisian Stak, West Frisian staak, Dutch staak, Low German Stake, Norwegian stake, Spanish estaca.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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