stuck adj.
1. left in an impossible position, deceived, completely mistaken.
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | N.Y. Clipper 14 May 2/3: One day [newspaper dealers] sell out quite early; the next day, to use a common expression, they are ‘stuck,’ [...] and it must be remembered that a paper a day old is ‘dead stock.’. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | (con. 1840s–50s) London Labour and London Poor II 18/1: The pawnbrokers have been so often ‘stuck’ (taken in) with inferior instruments, that it is difficult to pledge even a really good violin. | |
| N.E. Police Gaz. (Boston, MA) 12 Oct. 8/1: Why are flats who buck against Jim Stevens’ skin game [...] like swine in a slaughter house? Because they are ‘stuck’ before they know it. | |
| N.O. Picayune 28 Jan. n.p.: Did he buy the horse? Yes, and he was dreadfully stuck: the horse wasn’t worth twenty dollars. | |
| Mysteries of N.Y. 64: [Y]ou was stuck [...] bilked, beat, fooled, you know’. | |
| Fables in Sl. (1902) 84: They were Stuck on it, and had a Job Printer do some Cards for them. | |
| ‘Bobs’ Five Notions 46: ’E’s the sort to bring you luck, / General Bobs; / An’ ’e’ll wire you when ’e’s stuck, / Little Bobs. | |
| Over the Top 42: Occasionally an issue of ‘Life Rays’ comes along. Then the older Tommies immediately get busy on the recruits, and trade these for Woodbines or Goldflakes. A recruit only has to be stuck once in this manner, and then he ceases to be a recruit. | |
| ‘Johns Hopkins Jargon’ in AS VII:5 337: stuck—to be left ‘holding the bag’. | |
| High Window 155: The damn coppers are stuck. | |
| Long Good-Bye 244: ‘Suppose the names don’t show?’ ‘Then I’m stuck.’. | |
| 8 Ball Chicks (1998) 92: ‘Don’t need another little kid stuck facing . . .’ She did not finish the thought. |
2. out of money, impoverished.
| , , | | Sl. Dict. |
| Wanderings of a Vagabond 478: To use a gambling phrase, ‘he was badly stuck,’ and would have sold himself for money to continue the game. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Aus. Sl. Dict. 82: Stuck, moneyless,‘I’m stuck,’i.e., I have to pay the wager. | |
| Forty Years a Gambler 18: I was taking out ten per cent. They all got stuck. That night my receipts amounted to $1,300. | |
| Tales of Mean Streets (1983) 97: Do try an’ not look like a stuck ninny. | |
| Road 70: The man who was ‘stuck’ had to take a small condensed-milk can, and with it carry water to the winners. | |
| White Moll 32: She pulled out the package of banknotes. ‘You aren’t going to get stuck. This’ll see you through whatever happens.’. | |
| ‘Blood Pressure’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 83: Charley is stuck one hundred and thirty G’s. | |
| Complete Guide to Gambling 692: Stuck – lost. ‘I’m stuck fifty dollars.’. | |
| in Heller In This Corner (1974) 21: The purse was fifteen dollars and I said I want half or I won’t go in the ring. I was scared to death, but I was stuck. |
3. (US black) killed.
| ‘Ebonics’ 🎵 And if you got rubbed, you got stuck. |
4. see stuck on
In compounds
(US prison) lazy, forgetful; deprived; also as n., a lazy worker.
| ‘Catheads [...] and Cho-Cho Sticks’ in Abernethy Bounty of Texas (1990) 216: stuck out, n. – a slow worker. | |
| Other Side of the Wall: Prisoner’s Dict. July 🌐 Stuck Out: Not getting something that was wanted. ‘You missed chow...you’re stuck-out!’ (TX). |
an arrogant, snobbish or reserved person.
| ‘’Arry on the River’ in Punch 9 Aug. 57/1: That I’m sweet on true Swells you’re aweer, but for stuck-ups I don’t care a blow. | |
 | At Opening Doors 50: ‘I don’t write to stuck-ups.’ ‘You don't know as she is a stuck-up, Hila’. | |
| Son-Boy in Hatch & Hamalian Lost Plays of Harlem Renaissance (1996) 83: You’s a piece o’ one stuck up dere in dem britches! | |
| Black Metropolis 521: People with slight education, small incomes, and few social graces are always referring to the more affluent and successful as ‘dicties,’ ‘stuck-ups,’ ‘muckti-mucks,’ ‘high-toned folks,’ ‘tony people.’. |
penniless.
| ‘Aus. Colloquialisms’ in All Year Round 30 July 68/1: A man in any difficulty or trouble, or at a loss for money or other necessary, is said to be ‘stuck up’. | |
| Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Tas.) 26 Oct. 4/6: Through the pot and the turf I’m hard hit and stuck up - / I lost on the Guineas and went broke on the Cup. | |
| Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era 235/2: Stuck up (American-English). Moneyless – very figurative expression derived from being ‘stuck up’ by highwayman, after which you have no money left in your pocket. |
In phrases
(US drugs/prison) to experience the effects of K2/spice, a strong synthetic cannabis.
| Riker’s 171: Those guys get really high. They’d joke about getting epileptic seizures. They call it ‘catching an epi’ or ‘getting stuck’. |
to have sexual intercourse (with).
| Hand-Reared Boy 162: Who do you reckon was getting stuck across her? I’ll tell you! Angel-Face Knowles! [...] He was getting stuck across her. |
1. to begin, esp. of a meal or a job.
| Adelphi 24 230/1: We’ll hev to get stuck into this. Get a start on it, and I’ll get the rest o’ the men . | |
| Fowlers End (2001) 256: Get stuck into the job, loafers. | |
| Gone Fishin’ 89: They ‘light up’ cigarettes; they say ‘mind out’ when there is danger; they ‘jack up’ when they wish to do nothing; they ‘shout’ without raising their voices when they are buying beer; and they will give you a meat pie and tell you to ‘get stuck into it’. | |
| Villain’s Tale 92: They pulled the headgear down a little further as if to disguise themselves better; make sure they weren’t going to come off as they got stuck in. | |
| The Weir 49: Me and Declan got stuck in. | |
| Birthday 173: He slept until Arthur called that supper was ready. ‘So how about coming down, and getting stuck in?’. | |
![[NZ]](/static/img/flags/nz.png "New Zealand") | Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 86: get stuck in/into To fight or engage vigorously in some activity. ANZ C20. |
2. to fight; to act in an aggressive manner, esp. in a sporting context.
| Apprentices (1970) I ii: fulcher: You have first hit. bagley: No, just get stuck in, just get stuck in. | |
| Liza’s England (1996) 218: You got stuck in seven days a week and bloody did it. | |
| Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 49/2: get stuck in! supporter advice to rugby players to become more aggressive or involved; c.1920, migrated to Australia and Britain. | |
| see sense 1. |
3. to have sexual intercourse.
| (con. WWII) Soldier Erect 140: Living with a beautiful and rich Indian girl [...] and of course getting stuck in every day. |
1. to start any form of activity; the implication is one of enthusiasm and activity.
| [ | | Swell’s Night Guide 68: She has done stunning, and copped a lummy slum of bonna scran. So if you likes to drop in at the arms over the vay, and stick into the munjary, there’s plenty of peck for the tripe box]. |
| (con. 1914–18) Songs and Sl. of the British Soldier 167: ‘Get stuck into it!’ meant ‘Work hard, don’t dally!’. | |
| Gilt Kid 39: Watching her get stuck into it that way, [he] began to feel a bit snackish himself. | |
| They Drive by Night 52: Come on, for Christ’s sake. Get stuck into it. | |
| Popular Dict. Aus. Sl. 31: Get stuck into [...] To tackle a job with a will. | |
| Jimmy Brockett 24: We got stuck into the beer, gin and whisky. [Ibid.] 84: There were a few things to clear up and I got stuck into them. | |
| Bunch of Ratbags 102: At the start of a lesson I’d get stuck into my work and finish early. | |
| Holy Smoke 43: So he gets stuck into prayin’ for a bit. | |
| Start in Life (1979) 17: I hope it gets cold and stale while you get stuck into your hearthrug pie. | |
| 1985 (1980) 225: Get stuck into what’s getting you worried and get it out of the way. | |
| Day of the Dog 110: The stupid old tit got stuck into the metho. | |
| Traveller’s Tool 124: That young bloke of mine is currently getting stuck into computer games like Space Invaders which really puts his grey matter to the test. | |
| Best of Steptoe and Son 4: ‘Get stuck into the La Tâche,’ we said, fearful that he would send it back on the grounds that red wine does not go with the fish. | |
| Lockie Leonard: Scumbuster (1995) 71: John East sat down and got stuck into a plate of eggs and bacon. | |
| (con. 1945–6) Devil’s Jump (2008) 187: There were maybe two or three hundred people [...] getting stuck into the grog. | |
| Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 86: get stuck in/into To fight or engage vigorously in some activity. ANZ C20. |
2. to start a fight with someone.
| N&Q 12 Ser. IX 384: Stuck Into (To Get). To attack. ‘We got properly stuck into Jerry.’. | |
| ‘Short Shift Saturday’ in Mann Coast to Coast 224: A bit o’ peace after Don Bell’s trouble this morning and then you an’ Winch nearly getting stuck into each other at the pub. | |
| We Were the Rats 10: Wasn’t I in enough trouble with George getting stuck into me with his full battery. | |
| Rusty Bugles I v: My cobber is up at Lae right now getting stuck into the Japs. | |
| Jimmy Brockett 50: The two of ’em were always getting stuck into me. | |
| Teachers (1962) 91: The Old Man got stuck into him on the quiet. | |
| Guntz 62: The only thing to do was to get stuck into him there and then. | |
| (con. 1930s) ‘Keep Moving’ 56: Individually we had all experienced the urge to get stuck into the railway thugs. | |
| Living Black 38: They all got stuck into ’em, gave ’em a hell of a lacing. | |
| see sense 1. |
3. to abuse verbally.
| Lucky Palmer 1: If the coppers raid this joint they’ll get stuck into me for letting you on the premises. | |
| Jimmy Brockett 232: Bob had persuaded me up to now to go easy, but I wasn’t holding off much longer, by hang! I was going to get stuck into the lot of them and rip hell out of them. | |
| Cop This Lot 148: Is he gettin’ stuck inter yer, Nino? | |
| ‘Bastards I Have Met’ in Best of Barry Crump (1974) 257: Fusk had had that girl [...] standing on her desk for about twenty minutes and he was going to get stuck into her any minute. |
owing, in debt.
| ‘Live Bait’ in Spicy Detective Stories Nov. 🌐 ‘How much am I stuck for, buddy?’ The driver said, ‘One buck, two bits.’. |
at cross-purposes.
![[Ire]](/static/img/flags/ire.png "Ireland") | Joys of War 7: [S]oon I got stuck in moving parts to whoever was barking the orders and pointing . |
1. in sexual senses, obsessed with, in love with.
| Weekly New Mexican 15 Sept. 2/3: I got ‘stuck’ on sight after one of the girls [DA]. | |
| E.C.B. Susan Jane 13: And he’s dead-stuck on a gal called Fan. | |
| Lantern (New Orleans, LA) 20 Oct. 3: Poor charles Ernest is so stuck on a fairy named Emma Brown, that she can make him do anything she wishes. | |
| Dead Bird (Sydney) 22 Nov. 1/2: ‘I am really carried away by you,’ lovingly said the letter to the stomp. ‘And I am stuck upon you myself,’ returned the stamp. | |
| Billy Baxter’s Letters 49: Now you want to know how a fellow is going to tell positively when he is stuck on a girl, do you? | |
| in Before I Forget (1901) 232: Lizer finks I’m stuck on Nell Perry, but as I sez, I admires ’er as a hartist, but it don’t foller ’cos I blews a bob for a front seat in the Gawds of a Saturday night as I’m goin’ to hoffer ’er marriage. | |
| Maison De Shine 67: What’s the use gettin’ stuck on a skirt when you’re roped an’ tied already? | |
| Potash and Perlmutter 99: You can’t blame a young feller if he gets stuck on a nice girl like Miss Kreitmann. | |
| ‘The Romance Of An Ugly Policeman’ (in Man with Two Left Feet) 180: He’s the fellow you’re stuck on. | |
| Man’s Grim Justice 32: Rose, his girl, is dead stuck on y’, Jackie. | |
| Gangster Girl 26: He was—Annie’s heart sank; he was ‘stuck’. She had gone up against that all her life. She exercised that effect on men. | |
| Tramp and Other Stories 188: The chaps think I’m a bit stuck on her but I’m not. | |
| Seraph on the Suwanee (1995) 866: Oh, the fool is stuck on you, Mrs Meserve. Sweet on you and cutting the fool. | |
| Small Time Crooks 29: The guy was stuck all right and she need not worry. | |
| Big Smoke 38: She’s stuck on you. | |
| Gidget Goes Hawaiian 75: You’re not by any chance getting stuck on that character? | |
| Bunch of Ratbags 185: I had never really got stuck on any particular doll. | |
| Glass Canoe (1982) 182: She’s stuck on him, you can see that. | |
| Tales of the City (1984) 227: [of a man] You’re stuck on that Tolliver kid, aren’t you? | |
| You Bright and Risen Angels (1988) 245: Here’s this pretty girl obviously stuck on him. | |
| Nubile Treat 🌐 When I was a little girl, I was really stuck on a boy at school, and when I’d be in bed masturbating, I’d pretend that he was going to walk in on me. | |
| ‘Buddy Fuck’ 🌐 ‘What the fuck is Chris thinking?’ ‘I don’t know,’ Wade said. ‘I’m still stuck on Joey.’. | |
| Running the Books 82: A bitch like me can't be stuck on chuck, the boss is lost, for nada. |
2. in non-sexual senses, very keen on, devoted to.
| Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 6 Nov. 14/1: Kllroy is dead stuck on going to California this winter . | |
| World (N.Y.) 5 June 11/2: For him to let Hecker go would raise a howl all along the line. Louisville is ‘stuck’ on Hecker. | |
| Manchester Courier 26 Apr. 14/6: Nouns and verbs and proverbs [...] everybody in this aige [sic] is dead stuck on ’em . | |
| Chimmie Fadden Explains 55: Say, you know I ain’t stuck on society. | |
| Mr. Jackson 48: You been fussin’ around them foolish art galleries [...] because you’re stuck on that junk. | |
| ‘Omaha Slim’ in Beef, Iron and Wine (1917) 119: I’m cert’nly stuck on nacher. | |
| letter 18 Nov. 🌐 Each company is to get mule teams, 4 in a team and I may get to drive one of them but I’m not stuck on the job although it would pay more money. | |
| West Broadway 206: Navajos, these were, and didn’t we get stuck on ourselves for knowing the difference between them and the Hopis. | |
| Babbitt (1974) 97: I don’t want you highbrows to get stuck on yourselves. | |
| ‘It’s Great to be Great’ in Top-Notch Mag. 15 July 🌐 Did you get stuck on one of them fool books, too? | |
| ‘Finger Man’ in Pearls Are a Nuisance (1964) 66: I’m not much stuck on bodyguarding. | |
| To Love and Be Wise 157: ‘ I’m not so stuck on the river as I used to be’ . |
3. (US) obsessively hostile towards.
| ‘Scrap Iron’ in Taking the Count 231: ‘We can talk it [i.e. a challenge to fight] up in the newspapers and make it look like a case of Italian revenge—’ ‘And there might be something in it, too [...] The manager dago ain’t stuck on me – much. I saw it in his eye the night I stopped his brother [...] all I ask is that you have him searched for a knife.’. |
(orig. US) saddled with, unable to get rid of either a person or an object.
| N.-Y. Trib. 2 Aug. 2/5: A newsboy the other day [...] had got stuck with a lot of papers on hand. | |
| We Who Are About to Die 199: You’re an absolute cinch to get stuck with it [i.e. a stolen car]. | |
| ‘When a Body Meets a Body’ in Popular Detective Sept. 🌐 They flang out both my gentlemen friends and you don’t think I’m going to get stuck with the whole bite, Buster? | |
| Lead With Your Left (1958) 93: Crazy shopkeeper phoned in he’d been stuck with a couple of queer ones [i.e. bills]. | |
| On the Yard (2002) 42: I’m afraid [...] that you’re stuck with the bottom bunk. | |
| Rough Wallaby 210: The bookies always left Terry ‘without a mintie’, [...] ‘stuck with the undertaker’s job’. | |
| Everybody Smokes in Hell 26: Buddy didn’t care so much about Alf as he cared about being stuck with Alf’s body. |