stick
n. countablen. a long, thin piece of wood that has fallen or been cut from a tree. People use sticks for many things, like for a fire, to play with, or to help them walk.
n. a long, thin piece of wood, either fallen from a tree or cut for a specific purpose. The term can also refer to any long, thin object resembling this, such as a carrot stick or a stick of butter.
The dog fetches the stick.
He found a sturdy stick to use as a walking cane on the long hike.
The child's imagination transformed the simple stick into a magic wand, a knight's sword, and a conductor's baton, all within the space of an afternoon.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- Proto-Indo-European *stignéh₂- Proto-Germanic *stikkōną Proto-Germanic *stikkô Proto-West Germanic *stikkō Old English sticca Middle English stikke English stick From Middle English stikke (“stick, rod, twig”), from Old English sticca (“rod, twig”), from Proto-West Germanic stikkō, from Proto-Germanic stikkô (“stick, pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to pierce, prick, be sharp”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Stikke (“stick”), West Flemish stik (“stick”), Dutch stek (“spot, place, home”), German Low German Stick (“stick”), German Stecken (“stick”), Danish and Norwegian stikke (“stick”), Swedish sticka (“splinter, needle”). Related to stigma.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- Proto-Indo-European *stignéh₂- Proto-Germanic *stikkōną Proto-West Germanic *stikkōn Old English stician Middle English stiken English stick From Middle English stiken (“to stick, pierce, stab, remain embedded, be fastened”), from Old English stician (“to pierce, stab, remain embedded, be fastened”), from Proto-West Germanic stikkōn, from Proto-Germanic stikkōną (“to pierce, prick, be sharp”), from Proto-Indo-European (s)tig-, (s)teyg- (“to pierce, prick, be sharp”). See also the related Proto-Germanic *stikaną, whence West Frisian stekke, Low German steken, Dutch steken, German stechen; compare also Danish stikke, Swedish sticka. Cognate with the first etymology (same PIE root, different paths through Germanic and Old English), to stitch, and to etiquette, via French étiquette – see there for further discussion.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- Proto-Germanic *stikaną ▲ Proto-Germanic *stikaną Proto-Germanic *stukkōną Proto-Germanic *stukkiją Proto-West Germanic *stukkī Old Dutch *stukki Middle Dutch sticbor. Middle English stick English stick From Middle English stick, stik, steik, from Middle Dutch stic, stec, stuc (“piece”), from Old Dutch stukki, from Proto-West Germanic stukkī, from Proto-Germanic *stukkiją (“piece”). Cognate with German Stück (“piece”), Middle English stucche, sticche (“piece”).