stake
A stake is a sharp piece of wood or metal pushed into the ground to hold something up.
Explanation at your level:
A stake is a long, sharp stick. You put it in the ground. It helps plants grow straight. You can also use it to mark a place in the garden.
You use a stake to hold up a tree or a plant. In business, a stake means you own a part of a company. It is important to know this word for gardening and money talk.
The word stake has two main meanings. Physically, it is a post for support. Figuratively, it refers to an interest in a business. When you have a stake in something, you care about the result because you might win or lose money.
Beyond the physical garden post, stake is frequently used in corporate and legal contexts. To have a stake in an outcome implies a vested interest. The idiom at stake is essential for describing situations where the outcome is uncertain and potentially significant.
The term stake is highly versatile. In a corporate context, it denotes equity or a financial interest. Metaphorically, it is used to describe the 'risks' or 'wagers' involved in high-pressure scenarios. Understanding the nuance between a physical 'stake' and the abstract 'stakes' of a situation is key to advanced fluency.
Historically, the stake held a darker connotation, referring to the post used for public execution by fire. Today, this usage is archaic, but it persists in literary references. Modern usage focuses on the intersection of risk, investment, and territoriality. Mastery involves using the word in idiomatic collocations like 'staking one's reputation' or 'holding a minority stake'.
Wort in 30 Sekunden
- A stake is a pointed post.
- It also means a share in a business.
- It is used to describe risk.
- The plural is stakes.
When you hear the word stake, think of two very different images. First, there is the physical object: a sturdy, pointed post. Gardeners use these stakes to keep tall plants from falling over, and explorers use them to mark territory.
The second meaning is more abstract but very common in business. When someone has a stake in a company, they own a piece of it. It means they have something to gain or lose based on how that company performs. It’s all about investment and risk.
The word stake comes from the Old English word staca, which literally meant a post or a pillar. It shares roots with the Dutch staak and the German Staken. Historically, these posts were vital for building fences and fortifications.
Interestingly, the meaning evolved toward 'betting' because of the practice of tying a horse or animal to a stake as a prize in a race. Later, it came to represent the money or goods put up to be won or lost in a game of chance. It’s a great example of how a physical object becomes a metaphor for financial risk.
In daily life, you will hear stake used in both literal and figurative ways. If you are gardening, you might say, 'I need to buy a wooden stake for my tomato plant.' This is very literal and common.
In professional settings, you will hear it used to discuss ownership. Phrases like 'a major stake in the business' or 'a controlling stake' are standard in finance. It sounds professional and serious, implying that the person has a real interest in the outcome of the project.
At stake: Meaning something is at risk. Example: 'With the game tied, the championship was at stake.'
Raise the stakes: To increase the risk or reward. Example: 'They decided to raise the stakes by doubling the prize money.'
Pull up stakes: To move away or leave a place. Example: 'After ten years, they decided to pull up stakes and move to the coast.'
Stake a claim: To declare that something belongs to you. Example: 'She staked a claim on the empty desk by the window.'
High stakes: A situation with a lot to lose. Example: 'This is a high-stakes negotiation.'
The word stake is a regular noun, so the plural form is simply stakes. It is a countable noun, meaning you can say 'a stake' or 'ten stakes'.
Pronunciation is straightforward: /steɪk/. It rhymes with 'lake', 'bake', 'cake', and 'snake'. The stress is always on the single syllable. When used as a verb, it follows regular conjugation: stake, staked, staking.
Fun Fact
The word is related to the word 'stick'.
Pronunciation Guide
Long 'a' sound like 'stay' plus 'k'.
Identical to UK, clear 'k' at the end.
Common Errors
- Pronouncing it like 'stack'
- Adding an extra syllable
- Softening the 'k'
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to read in context
Simple to use
Common in speech
Clear sound
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Fortgeschritten
Grammar to Know
Countable vs Uncountable
A stake (countable)
Idiomatic Prepositions
At stake
Verb Tenses
Staked/Staking
Examples by Level
The plant needs a stake.
plant support
singular noun
Put the stake here.
location
imperative
It is a wooden stake.
material
adjective + noun
I see the stake.
observation
definite article
The stake is long.
size
adjective
Use a metal stake.
material
adjective
He hit the stake.
action
past tense verb
The stake is sharp.
feature
adjective
The gardener drove the stake into the soil.
She bought a 5% stake in the new company.
The stakes were very high in the game.
He used a stake to mark the boundary.
We need to pull up the old stakes.
The company has a stake in the project.
Is the stake strong enough?
They placed a stake by the fence.
His entire reputation was at stake during the trial.
The firm holds a significant stake in the tech industry.
She decided to raise the stakes by increasing her investment.
They pulled up stakes and moved to a new city.
The tomato plants are tied to a wooden stake.
He staked his claim on the last piece of cake.
There is a lot at stake for the environment.
Investors are worried about their stake in the market.
The CEO has a personal stake in the company's success.
Everything we worked for is at stake in this election.
They decided to stake their claim on the mineral rights.
The stakes are too high for us to make a mistake.
He is looking to increase his stake in the venture.
The project failed, and he lost his entire stake.
She felt that her future was at stake.
They are willing to pull up stakes if the job doesn't work out.
The government has a strategic stake in national infrastructure.
With the merger, the stakes have never been higher for employees.
She staked her professional reputation on the success of the launch.
The minority stake holders are demanding a seat on the board.
It is a high-stakes environment where every decision counts.
He has a vested stake in ensuring the policy passes.
They have successfully staked their claim in the international market.
The outcome of the litigation puts the company's future at stake.
The historical practice of tying victims to a stake is a grim chapter in legal history.
His philosophical stance was staked upon the belief in human reason.
The company's expansion was a high-stakes gamble that ultimately paid off.
She holds a controlling stake that allows her to dictate corporate strategy.
The entire community has a stake in the preservation of the forest.
He staked his fortune on the belief that the market would recover.
The stakes are existential for the survival of the species.
They have staked out a position of leadership in the industry.
Häufige Kollokationen
Idioms & Expressions
"at stake"
at risk
Our future is at stake.
neutral"raise the stakes"
increase the risk/reward
Let's raise the stakes.
neutral"pull up stakes"
move away
Time to pull up stakes.
casual"stake a claim"
assert ownership
I'll stake a claim on that.
neutral"high stakes"
risky situation
It's a high-stakes deal.
neutral"stake one's life on it"
be certain
I'd stake my life on it.
casualEasily Confused
homophones
meat vs post
I ate a steak; I drove a stake.
similar sound
pile vs post
Stack the books; drive the stake.
related meaning
general vs pointed
A stick is a branch; a stake is a tool.
financial context
shares vs ownership
I own stock; I have a stake.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + has + a + stake + in + object
He has a stake in the firm.
Everything + is + at + stake
Everything is at stake.
Subject + staked + a + claim
She staked a claim.
The + stakes + are + adjective
The stakes are high.
Subject + pulled + up + stakes
They pulled up stakes.
Wortfamilie
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Verwandt
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
Häufige Fehler
Steak is meat, stake is a post.
The idiom is 'at stake'.
Use singular for one post.
Stake is a specific share.
It is a noun/verb, not a synonym for stand.
Tips
Memory Palace Trick
Visualize a garden where every plant has a label with a dollar sign on it.
When Native Speakers Use It
Use it when talking about risks in business or projects.
Cultural Insight
Think of the 'Wild West' where people staked claims on land.
Grammar Shortcut
Always use 'at' before 'stake' in the idiom.
Say It Right
Keep the 'a' sound long.
Don't Make This Mistake
Never confuse it with the food 'steak'.
Did You Know?
Stakes were used in the Middle Ages for defense.
Study Smart
Group it with 'risk' and 'share'.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
STAKE: Stick To A Keen Edge.
Visual Association
A tomato plant tied to a sharp wooden stick.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Use the word 'stake' in a sentence about your future.
Wortherkunft
Old English
Original meaning: A post or pillar
Kultureller Kontext
None, except historical reference to execution.
Common in gardening and corporate finance.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Gardening
- drive a stake
- support the plant
- tie to a stake
Business
- major stake
- minority stake
- stakeholder interest
Gambling
- high stakes
- place a stake
- lose the stake
Relocation
- pull up stakes
- move away
- leave everything behind
Conversation Starters
"Do you have a stake in any local businesses?"
"What do you think is at stake in the current climate crisis?"
"Have you ever had to pull up stakes and move?"
"When is it worth raising the stakes in a project?"
"Would you ever stake your reputation on a new idea?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time when you felt like everything was at stake.
If you could have a stake in any company, which one would it be?
Write about a time you had to 'stake a claim' on something.
Why do we use the word 'stake' for both gardening and business?
Häufig gestellte Fragen
8 FragenNo, steak is meat, stake is a post.
Yes, to stake a claim or to stake money.
Someone with an interest in a business.
Yes, you can have one stake or many stakes.
It means at risk.
Like 'stay' + 'k'.
It is used in both formal and informal contexts.
Yes, fence posts are often called stakes.
Teste dich selbst
I need a ___ for my plant.
A stake supports a plant.
What is a 'stake' in business?
It means ownership.
The phrase 'at stake' means something is safe.
It means it is at risk.
Word
Bedeutung
Stake has two meanings.
Everything is at stake.
They decided to ___ the stakes.
Raise the stakes is the idiom.
Which is a synonym for 'stake' in finance?
Equity represents a stake.
A 'stakeholder' is someone who has no interest in a company.
They have a vested interest.
He ___ his claim on the land.
Stake a claim is the phrase.
What does 'pull up stakes' mean?
It means to leave.
Ergebnis: /10
Summary
A stake is a point of support or a point of risk.
- A stake is a pointed post.
- It also means a share in a business.
- It is used to describe risk.
- The plural is stakes.
Memory Palace Trick
Visualize a garden where every plant has a label with a dollar sign on it.
When Native Speakers Use It
Use it when talking about risks in business or projects.
Cultural Insight
Think of the 'Wild West' where people staked claims on land.
Grammar Shortcut
Always use 'at' before 'stake' in the idiom.
