stake — English Dictionary

stake
Pronunciations (2)
  • /steɪk/
  • steɪk

Noun

  1. A piece of wood or other material, usually long and slender, pointed at one end so as to be easily driven into the ground as a marker or a support or stay.

    Examples

    We have surveyor's stakes at all four corners of this field, to mark exactly its borders.

    A sharpened stake strong Dryas found.

  2. A piece of wood driven in the ground, placed in the middle of the court, that is used as the finishing point after scoring 12 hoops in croquet.

  3. A stick or similar object (e.g., steel channel or angle stock) inserted upright in a lop, eye, or mortise, at the side or end of a cart, flat car, flatbed trailer, or the like, to prevent goods from falling off; often connected in a grid forming a stakebody.

  4. The piece of timber to which a person condemned to death was affixed to be burned.

    Usage
    • with-definite-article
    Examples

    Thomas Cranmer was burnt at the stake.

    More examples (1)

    However, the word "witch" came to be applied almost exclusively to women who [...] were usually old and ugly, and for this reason many unfortunate old ladies, whose only crimes were loneliness and a lack of beauty, went to the stake.

  5. A share or interest in a business or a given situation.

    Examples

    The owners let the managers eventually earn a stake in the business.

    More examples (1)

    The French Government is Eurostar's majority shareholder, with the country's state-owned railway SNCF holding a 55% stake, while Belgian state operator SNCB has a 5% stake.

  6. That which is laid down as a wager; that which is staked or hazarded; a pledge.

  7. A small anvil usually furnished with a tang to enter a hole in a bench top, as used by tinsmiths, blacksmiths, etc., for light work, punching hole in or cutting a work piece, or for specific forming techniques etc.

  8. A territorial division comprising all the Mormons (typically several thousand) in a geographical area.

    Usage
    • Mormonism
    Examples

    Every city, or stake, including a chief town and surrounding towns, has its president, with two counselors; and this president has a high council of chosen men.

Verb

  1. To fasten, support, defend, or delineate with stakes.

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

    to stake vines or plants

  2. To pierce or wound with a stake.

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples
    More examples (1)

    You see, I'd made a bargain with him to buy the horse for a hundred and twenty—a swinging price, but I always liked the horse. And what does he do but go and stake him—fly at a hedge with stakes in it, atop of a bank with a ditch before it.

    “You ladies happen to notice what happened to this vampire? This just happened. Did you see who staked him?”

  3. To put at risk upon success in competition, or upon a future contingency.

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

    I'll ſtake my Lamb that near the Fountain plays, / And from the Brink his dancing Shade ſurveys.

  4. To provide (another) with money in order to engage in an activity as betting or a business venture.

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

    John went broke, so to keep him playing, Jill had to stake him.

    His family staked him $10,000 to get his business started.

  5. To deposit and risk a considerable amount of cryptocurrency in order to participate in the proof of stake process of verification.

    Examples
    More examples (1)

    Any peer can participate in the mining process by staking coins in order to validate a new transaction. To become a miner, there are two options; you can stake your coins to be used by a trustworthy node […], or you can submit a full node to be selected as a miner.

  6. To stretch leather skin over a piece of iron held knee-height, in preparation to use the skin in the creation of gloves.

    Usage
    • Obsolete

Noun

  1. (law) a right or legal share of something; a financial involvement with something

    Synonyms
    Examples

    they have interests all over the world

    a stake in the company's future

  2. a pole or stake set up to mark something (as the start or end of a race track)

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
    Examples

    a pair of posts marked the goal

    the corner of the lot was indicated by a stake

  3. instrument of execution consisting of a vertical post that a victim is tied to for burning

  4. the money risked on a gamble

    Broader terms
  5. a strong wooden or metal post with a point at one end so it can be driven into the ground

    Broader terms

Verb

  1. put at risk

    Examples

    I will stake my good reputation for this

  2. place a bet on

    Broader terms
    Examples

    Which horse are you backing?

    I'm betting on the new horse

  3. mark with a stake

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
    Examples

    stake out the path

  4. tie or fasten to a stake

    Broader terms
    Examples

    stake your goat

  5. kill by piercing with a spear or sharp pole

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
    Examples

    the enemies were impaled and left to die

Word forms
stakesstakesstakingstakedstaked

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