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stud

n. · v.
US //ˈstəd// UK //stˈʌd// stud
  1. 1 fastener or protrusion (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a small piece of metal or plastic that sticks out from a surface, like on a leather jacket or a football boot.

    a small, projecting fastener or decorative knob, often used in leatherwork, footwear, or as a type of earring.

    Example

    The player changed his football boots because the studs were worn down.

    Example

    The designer added silver studs to the lapels of the jacket to give it a more aggressive, industrial aesthetic.
  2. 2 wall support (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

    a vertical wooden or metal post used inside a wall to support it.

    an upright support in the wall of a building to which sheathing, drywall, or laths are attached.

    Example

    You need to find a stud in the wall before you hang that heavy shelf.

    Example

    The carpenter spaced the timber studs at sixteen-inch intervals to ensure the partition wall met local building codes.
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  1. 3 attractive man (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Slang

    a man who is considered very strong and sexually attractive.

    a man perceived as being physically attractive and sexually successful.

    Example

    He thinks he is a bit of a stud now that he has started going to the gym.

    Example

    The protagonist was cast as a typical Hollywood stud, though the script gave him very little actual dialogue.
  2. 4 breeding animal (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical

    a male animal, especially a horse, kept for breeding.

    a male animal, particularly a stallion, retained for breeding purposes.

    Example

    The champion horse was retired from racing and sent to a stud farm.

    Example

    The farm's reputation was built on the quality of its stud, which had sired several prize-winning colts over the last decade.
  3. 5 to decorate a surface (v.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    to cover a surface with many small objects.

    to scatter or set something over a surface at intervals for decoration or reinforcement.

    Example

    On a clear night, thousands of stars stud the sky.

    Example

    The crown was studded with rare emeralds and diamonds that caught the light with every movement of the queen's head.
Etymology 1

From Middle English stood, stod, from Old English stōd, from Proto-West Germanic stōd, from Proto-Germanic stōdą. Cognate with Middle Low German stōt, German Stute, Dutch stoet and Old Norse stóð.

Etymology 2

Inherited from Middle English stude, from Old English studu, from Proto-West Germanic stuþ, from Proto-Germanic stuþs.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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