Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Stick \Stick\, n. [OE. sticke, AS. sticca; akin to stician to
   stab, prick, pierce, G. stecken a stick, staff, OHG. steccho,
   Icel. stik a stick. See {Stick}, v. t..]
   1. 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 serve Against
            a winter's day.                       --Milton.

   2. 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.

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

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

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

   6. A thrust with a pointed instrument; a stab.

   {A stick of eels}, twenty-five eels. [Prov. Eng.]

   {Stick chimney}, a chimney made of sticks laid crosswise, and
      cemented with clay or mud, as in some log houses. [U.S.]
      

   {Stick insect}, (Zo["o]l.), any one of various species of
      wingless orthopterous insects of the family {Phasmid[ae]},
      which have a long round body, resembling a stick in form
      and color, and long legs, which are often held rigidly in
      such positions as to make them resemble small twigs. They
      thus imitate the branches and twigs of the trees on which
      they live. The common American species is {Diapheromera
      femorata}. Some of the Asiatic species are more than a
      foot long.

   {To cut one's stick}, or {To cut stick}, to run away. [Slang]
      --De Quincey.

[Colloq.]

      An English tradesman is always solicitous to cut the shop
      whenever he can do so with impunity.        --Thomas
                                                  Hamilton.

   {To cut a caper}. See under {Caper}.

   {To cut the cards}, to divide a pack of cards into portions,
      in order to determine the deal or the trump, or to change
      the cards to be dealt.

   {To cut a dash} or {a figure}, to make a display. [Colloq.]
      

   {To cut down}.
      (a) To sever and cause to fall; to fell; to prostrate.
          ``Timber . . . cut down in the mountains of Cilicia.''
          --Knolles.
      (b) To put down; to abash; to humble. [Obs] ``So great is
          his natural eloquence, that he cuts doun the finest
          orator.'' --Addison
      (c) To lessen; to retrench; to curtail; as, to cut down
          expenses.
      (d) (Naut.) To raze; as, to cut down a frigate into a
          sloop.

   {To cut the knot} or {the Gordian knot}, to dispose of a
      difficulty summarily; to solve it by prompt, arbitrary
      action, rather than by skill or patience.

   {To cut lots}, to determine lots by cuttings cards; to draw
      lots.

   {To cut off}.
      (a) To sever; to separate.

                I would to God, . . . The king had cut off my
                brother's.                        --Shak.
      (b) To put an untimely death; to put an end to; to
          destroy. ``Iren[ae]us was likewise cut off by
          martyrdom.'' --Addison.
      (c) To interrupt; as, to cut off communication; to cut off
          (the flow of) steam from (the boiler to) a steam
          engine.
      (d) To intercept; as,, to cut off an enemy's retreat.
      (e) To end; to finish; as, to cut off further debate.

   {To cut out}.
      (a) To remove by cutting or carving; as, to cut out a
          piece from a board.
      (b) To shape or form by cutting; as, to cut out a garment.
          `` A large forest cut out into walks.'' --Addison.
      (c) To scheme; to contrive; to prepare; as, to cut out
          work for another day. ``Every man had cut out a place
          for himself.'' --Addison.
      (d) To step in and take the place of; to supplant; as, to
          cut out a rival. [Colloq.]
      (e) To debar. ``I am cut out from anything but common
          acknowledgments.'' --Pope.
      (f) To seize and carry off (a vessel) from a harbor, or
          from under the guns of an enemy.

   {To cut to pieces}.
      (a) To cut into pieces; as, to cut cloth to pieces.
      (b) To slaughter; as, to cut an army to pieces.

   {To cut a play} (Drama), to shorten it by leaving out
      passages, to adapt it for the stage.

   {To cut rates} (Railroads, etc.), to reduce the charges for
      transportation below the rates established between
      competing lines.

   {To cut short}, to arrest or check abruptly; to bring to a
      sudden termination. ``Achilles cut him short, and thus
      replied.'' --Dryden.

   {To cut stick}, to make off clandestinely or precipitately.
      [Slang]

   {To cut teeth}, to put forth teeth; to have the teeth pierce
      through the gum and appear.

   {To have cut one's eyeteeth}, to be sharp and knowing.
      [Colloq.]

   {To cut one's wisdom teeth}, to come to years of discretion.
      

   {To cut under}, to undersell; as, to cut under a competitor
      in trade.

   {To cut up}.
      (a) To cut to pieces; as, to cut up an animal, or bushes.
      (b) To damage or destroy; to injure; to wound; as, to cut
          up a book or its author by severe criticism. ``This
          doctrine cuts up all government by the roots.''
          --Locke.
      (c) To afflict; to discourage; to demoralize; as, the
          death of his friend cut him up terribly. [Colloq.]
          --Thackeray.