stake

stake1 [ steık ] noun **

1. ) count a wooden or metal post with a pointed end that is used for supporting or marking something

a ) the stake a thick wooden pole that someone was tied to and burned in the past as a punishment:

be burned at the stake: Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431.

2. ) count an amount of money that you risk losing when you try to guess the result of a race or competition:

He liked gambling, but only for small stakes.

a ) stakes plural the things you can gain or lose by taking a risk, for example in business or politics:

high stakes (=a lot that could be won or lost): With such high stakes, the atmosphere was tense.

raise the stakes (=risk gaining or losing more): The Americans have raised the stakes in a bitter fight over imports.

3. ) count BUSINESS the part of a business that you own because you have invested money in it:

stake in: They took a 40% stake in the company last year.

a majority/minority stake (=more/less than half): RCS Video has bought a majority stake in Majestic Films International.

a ) usually singular the degree to which you are involved in something and want it to succeed:

have a stake in (doing) something: He has a huge stake in making the peace process work.

4. ) stakes plural used in the names of some horse races:

the Pimlico Stakes

a ) used for talking about a competition or comparison that seems like a race:

Who are the main contenders in the party leadership stakes?

in the popularity/fitness/beauty etc. stakes: They're running neck and neck in the popularity stakes.

at stake

1. ) likely to be lost or damaged if something fails:

People's lives are at stake.

2. ) used about important issues that are involved in a situation or could be decided by it:

Few voters had any idea of the issues at stake.

There are ancient rivalries at stake.

go to the stake for/over something MAINLY BRITISH

to defend a belief or idea even if you suffer as a result

pull up stakes AMERICAN INFORMAL

to leave a place and go to live somewhere else. British up sticks

stake

stake 2 [ steık ] verb transitive

to risk losing or damaging something valuable in order to obtain or achieve something: GAMBLE:

stake something on something: The government has staked its reputation on eliminating the deficit.

a. to risk money by BETTING it on the result of a race, competition, game, etc.:

stake something on something: They have staked a lot of money on the favorite.

stake a claim (to something)

to say or show clearly that you consider something is or should be yours:

Both sides were staking a claim to the land.

stake your life on something

used for saying that you are completely sure about something:

I'd stake my life on his loyalty.

,stake `out phrasal verb transitive

1. ) to stay outside a building and watch it, especially because something exciting or illegal is happening:

The police are staking out his home in case he returns.

2. ) stake out something to explain your opinion clearly and defend it in a determined way:

Political leaders are busy staking out their positions on this issue.

3. ) to mark an area with fences or posts to show that it belongs to someone:

The settlers would arrive in a place and immediately stake out their territory.