Stick vs. Toothpick

Sticknoun

An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.

Toothpicknoun

A small, usually wooden, stick, often pointed at both ends, for removing food residue from between the teeth.

Sticknoun

A small, thin branch from a tree or bush; a twig; a branch.

Toothpickverb

(transitive) To spear (food) on a toothpick.

Sticknoun

A relatively long, thin piece of wood, of any size.

‘What do you call a boomerang that won't come back? A stick.}}’;

Toothpickverb

(transitive) To transfer (a sample of bacteria, etc.) by means of a toothpick.

Sticknoun

(US) A timber board, especially a two by four (inches).

‘I found enough sticks in dumpsters at construction sites to build my shed.’;

Toothpicknoun

A pointed instrument for clearing the teeth of substances lodged between them.

Sticknoun

A cane or walking stick (usually wooden, metal or plastic) to aid in walking.

‘I don’t need my stick to walk, but it’s helpful.’;

Toothpicknoun

pick consisting of a small strip of wood or plastic; used to pick food from between the teeth

Sticknoun

A cudgel or truncheon (usually of wood, metal or plastic), especially one carried by police or guards.

‘As soon as the fight started, the guards came in swinging their sticks.’;

Toothpick

A toothpick is a small thin stick of wood, plastic, bamboo, metal, bone or other substance with at least one and sometimes two pointed ends to insert between teeth to remove detritus, usually after a meal. Toothpicks are also used for festive occasions to hold or spear small appetizers (like cheese cubes or olives) or as a cocktail stick, and can be decorated with plastic frills or small paper umbrellas or flags.

Sticknoun

(carpentry) The vertical member of a cope-and-stick joint.

Sticknoun

(nautical) A mast or part of a mast of a ship; also, a yard.

Sticknoun

(figuratively) A piece (of furniture, especially if wooden).

‘We were so poor we didn't have one stick of furniture.’;

Sticknoun

Any roughly cylindrical (or rectangular) unit of a substance.

‘Sealing wax is available as a cylindrical or rectangular stick.’;

Sticknoun

A small rectangular block, with a length several times its width, which contains by volume one half of a cup of shortening (butter, margarine or lard).

‘The recipe calls for half a stick of butter.’;

Sticknoun

A standard rectangular (often thin) piece of chewing gum.

‘Don’t hog all that gum, give me a stick!’;

Sticknoun

(slang) A cigarette usually a tobacco cigarette, less often a marijuana cigarette.

‘Cigarettes are taxed at one dollar per stick.’;

Sticknoun

Material or objects attached to a stick or the like.

Sticknoun

A bunch of something wrapped around or attached to a stick.

Sticknoun

(archaic) A scroll that is rolled around (mounted on, attached to) a stick.

Sticknoun

(military) The structure to which a set of bombs in a bomber aircraft are attached and which drops the bombs when it is released. The bombs themselves and, by extension, any load of similar items dropped in quick succession such as paratroopers or containers.

Sticknoun

A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.

Sticknoun

A manual transmission, a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission, so called because of the stick-like, i.e. twig-like, control (the gear shift) with which the driver of such a vehicle controls its transmission.

‘I grew up driving a stick, but many people my age didn’t.’;

Sticknoun

(aviation) The control column of an aircraft; a joystick. By convention, a wheel-like control mechanism with a handgrip on opposite sides, similar to the steering wheel ofan automobiles, is also called the "stick".

Sticknoun

Use of the stick to control the aircraft.

Sticknoun

(computing) A memory stick.

Sticknoun

A composing stick, the tool used by compositors to assemble lines of type.

Sticknoun

The clarinet. more often called the liquorice stick

Sticknoun

(sports) A stick-like item:

Sticknoun

A long thin implement used to control a ball or puck in sports like hockey, polo, and lacrosse.

‘Tripping with the stick is a violation of the rules.’;

Sticknoun

(horse racing) The short whip carried by a jockey.

Sticknoun

(boardsports) A board as used in board sports, such as a surfboard, snowboard, or skateboard.

Sticknoun

(golf) The pole bearing a small flag that marks the hole.

‘His wedge shot bounced off the stick and went in the hole.’;

Sticknoun

The cue used in billiards, pool, snooker, etc.

‘His stroke with that two-piece stick is a good as anybody's in the club.’;

Sticknoun

Ability; specifically:

Sticknoun

(golf) The long-range driving ability of a golf club.

Sticknoun

(baseball) The potential hitting power of a specific bat.

Sticknoun

(baseball) General hitting ability.

Sticknoun

(hockey) The potential accuracy of a hockey stick, implicating also the player using it.

Sticknoun

A person or group of people. (Perhaps, in some senses, because people are, broadly speaking, tall and thin, like pieces of wood.)

Sticknoun

A thin or wiry person; particularly a flat-chested woman.

Sticknoun

(magic) An assistant planted in the audience.

Sticknoun

A fighter pilot.

Sticknoun

A small group of (infantry) soldiers.

Sticknoun

Encouragement or punishment, or (resulting) vigour or other improved behavior.

Sticknoun

A negative stimulus or a punishment. (This sense derives from the metaphor of using a stick, a long piece of wood, to poke or beat a beast of burden to compel it to move forward. Compare carrot.)

Sticknoun

Corporal punishment; beatings.

Sticknoun

(slang) Vigor; spirit; effort, energy, intensity.

‘Give it some stick!’;

Sticknoun

(slang) Vigorous driving of a car; gas.

Sticknoun

A measure.

Sticknoun

(obsolete) An English Imperial unit of length equal to 2 inches.

Sticknoun

A quantity of eels, usually 25.

Sticknoun

(motor racing) The traction of tires on the road surface.

Sticknoun

(fishing) The amount of fishing line resting on the water surface before a cast; line stick.

Sticknoun

A thrust with a pointed instrument; a stab.

Sticknoun

Criticism or ridicule.

Stickverb

(carpentry) To cut a piece of wood to be the stick member of a cope-and-stick joint.

Stickverb

To compose; to set, or arrange, in a composing stick.

‘to stick type’;

Stickverb

(intransitive) To become or remain attached; to adhere.

‘The tape will not stick if it melts.’;

Stickverb

(intransitive) To jam; to stop moving.

‘The lever sticks if you push it too far up.’;

Stickverb

(transitive) To tolerate, to endure, to stick with.

Stickverb

(intransitive) To persist.

‘His old nickname stuck.’;

Stickverb

(intransitive) Of snow, to remain frozen on landing.

Stickverb

(intransitive) To remain loyal; to remain firm.

‘Just stick to your strategy, and you will win.’;

Stickverb

To hesitate, to be reluctant; to refuse (in negative phrases).

Stickverb

To be puzzled (at something), have difficulty understanding.

Stickverb

To cause difficulties, scruples, or hesitation.

Stickverb

(transitive) To attach with glue or as if by gluing.

‘Stick the label on the jar.’;

Stickverb

(transitive) To place, set down (quickly or carelessly).

‘Stick your bag over there and come with me.’;

Stickverb

(transitive) To press (something with a sharp point) into something else.

‘The balloon will pop when I stick this pin in it.’; ‘to stick a needle into one's finger’;

Stickverb

To stab.

Stickverb

(transitive) To fix on a pointed instrument; to impale.

‘to stick an apple on a fork’;

Stickverb

To perform (a landing) perfectly.

‘Once again, the world champion sticks the dismount.’;

Stickverb

To propagate plants by cuttings.

‘Stick cuttings from geraniums promptly.’;

Stickverb

To run or plane (mouldings) in a machine, in contradistinction to working them by hand. Such mouldings are said to be stuck.

Stickverb

To bring to a halt; to stymie; to puzzle.

‘to stick somebody with a hard problem’;

Stickverb

To impose upon; to compel to pay; sometimes, to cheat.

Stickadjective

(informal) Likely to stick; sticking, sticky.

‘A non-stick pan. A stick plaster.’; ‘A sticker type of glue. The stickest kind of gum.’;

Sticknoun

A small shoot, or branch, separated, as by a cutting, from a tree or shrub; also, any stem or branch of a tree, of any size, cut for fuel or timber.

‘Withered sticks to gather, which might serveAgainst a winter's day.’;

Sticknoun

Any long and comparatively slender piece of wood, whether in natural form or shaped with tools; a rod; a wand; a staff; as, the stick of a rocket; a walking stick.

Sticknoun

Anything shaped like a stick; as, a stick of wax.

Sticknoun

A derogatory expression for a person; one who is inert or stupid; as, an odd stick; a poor stick.

Sticknoun

A composing stick. See under Composing. It is usually a frame of metal, but for posters, handbills, etc., one made of wood is used.

Sticknoun

A thrust with a pointed instrument; a stab.

Stickverb

To penetrate with a pointed instrument; to pierce; to stab; hence, to kill by piercing; as, to stick a beast.

‘And sticked him with bodkins anon.’; ‘It was a shame . . . to stick him under the other gentleman's arm while he was redding the fray.’;

Stickverb

To cause to penetrate; to push, thrust, or drive, so as to pierce; as, to stick a needle into one's finger.

‘Thou stickest a dagger in me.’;

Stickverb

To fasten, attach, or cause to remain, by thrusting in; hence, also, to adorn or deck with things fastened on as by piercing; as, to stick a pin on the sleeve.

‘My shroud of white, stuck all with yew.’; ‘The points of spears are stuck within the shield.’;

Stickverb

To set; to fix in; as, to stick card teeth.

Stickverb

To set with something pointed; as, to stick cards.

Stickverb

To fix on a pointed instrument; to impale; as, to stick an apple on a fork.

Stickverb

To attach by causing to adhere to the surface; as, to stick on a plaster; to stick a stamp on an envelope; also, to attach in any manner.

Stickverb

To compose; to set, or arrange, in a composing stick; as, to stick type.

Stickverb

To run or plane (moldings) in a machine, in contradistinction to working them by hand. Such moldings are said to be stuck.

Stickverb

To cause to stick; to bring to a stand; to pose; to puzzle; as, to stick one with a hard problem.

Stickverb

To impose upon; to compel to pay; sometimes, to cheat.

Stickverb

To adhere; as, glue sticks to the fingers; paste sticks to the wall.

‘The green caterpillar breedeth in the inward parts of roses not blown, where the dew sticketh.’;

Stickverb

To remain where placed; to be fixed; to hold fast to any position so as to be moved with difficulty; to cling; to abide; to cleave; to be united closely.

‘A friend that sticketh closer than a brother.’; ‘I am a kind of bur; I shall stick.’; ‘If on your fame our sex a bolt has thrown,'T will ever stick through malice of your own.’;

Stickverb

To be prevented from going farther; to stop by reason of some obstacle; to be stayed.

‘I had most need of blessing, and "Amen"Stuck in my throat.’; ‘The trembling weapon passedThrough nine bull hides, . . . and stuck within the last.’;

Stickverb

To be embarrassed or puzzled; to hesitate; to be deterred, as by scruples; to scruple; - often with at.

‘They will stick long at part of a demonstration for want of perceiving the connection of two ideas.’; ‘Some stick not to say, that the parson and attorney forged a will.’;

Stickverb

To cause difficulties, scruples, or hesitation.

‘This is the difficulty that sticks with the most reasonable.’;

Sticknoun

implement consisting of a length of wood;

‘he collected dry sticks for a campfire’; ‘the kid had a candied apple on a stick’;

Sticknoun

a small thin branch of a tree

Sticknoun

a lever used by a pilot to control the ailerons and elevators of an airplane

Sticknoun

informal terms of the leg;

‘fever left him weak on his sticks’;

Sticknoun

marijuana leaves rolled into a cigarette for smoking

Sticknoun

threat of a penalty;

‘the policy so far is all stick and no carrot’;

Stickverb

fix, force, or implant;

‘lodge a bullet in the table’;

Stickverb

stay put (in a certain place);

‘We are staying in Detroit; we are not moving to Cincinnati’; ‘Stay put in the corner here!’; ‘Stick around and you will learn something!’;

Stickverb

cause to protrude or as if to protrude;

‘stick one's hand out of the window’; ‘stick one's nose into other people's business’;

Stickverb

stick to firmly;

‘Will this wallpaper adhere to the wall?’;

Stickverb

be or become fixed;

‘The door sticks--we will have to plane it’;

Stickverb

endure;

‘The label stuck to her for the rest of her life’;

Stickverb

be a devoted follower or supporter;

‘The residents of this village adhered to Catholicism’; ‘She sticks to her principles’;

Stickverb

be loyal to;

‘She stood by her husband in times of trouble’; ‘The friends stuck together through the war’;

Stickverb

cover and decorate with objects that pierce the surface;

‘stick some feathers in the turkey before you serve it’;

Stickverb

fasten with an adhesive material like glue;

‘stick the poster onto the wall’;

Stickverb

fasten with or as with pins or nails;

‘stick the photo onto the corkboard’;

Stickverb

fasten into place by fixing an end or point into something;

‘stick the corner of the sheet under the mattress’;

Stickverb

pierce with a thrust using a pointed instrument;

‘he stuck the cloth with the needle’;

Stickverb

pierce or penetrate or puncture with something pointed;

‘He stuck the needle into his finger’;

Stickverb

come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation;

‘The dress clings to her body’; ‘The label stuck to the box’; ‘The sushi rice grains cohere’;

Stickverb

saddle with something disagreeable or disadvantageous;

‘They stuck me with the dinner bill’; ‘I was stung with a huge tax bill’;

Stickverb

be a mystery or bewildering to;

‘This beats me!’; ‘Got me--I don't know the answer!’; ‘a vexing problem’; ‘This question really stuck me’;