ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sticks

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈstɪks// UK //stˈɪks// sticks Informal Slang Vulgar

n. a place far away from a city or town where very few people live. You use this word when you think a place is boring or too quiet.

n. a remote, rural area or small town perceived as being far from civilization or urban excitement. Informal in register; often carries a slightly dismissive or humorous tone.


SIMPLE

I grew up in the sticks, miles from the nearest shop.

CONTEXTUAL

After living in London for a decade, she found it difficult to adjust to a quiet life out in the sticks.

COMPLEX

While some find the peace of the sticks restorative, others are quickly overwhelmed by the lack of infrastructure and the significant distance to the nearest cultural hub.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Always used with the definite article 'the' and functions as a singular concept despite the plural form.

Pitfall

He lives in a stick.He lives in the sticks.In this sense, the word is always plural and requires the definite article 'the'.

Idioms5 entries

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