Stick has several meanings, all connected to the idea of something long and narrow or staying in place:

1. A thin piece of wood that has fallen or been cut from a tree. Kids collect sticks for building forts or roasting marshmallows over a campfire. Hockey players use curved sticks to hit the puck, and relay race runners pass a stick-shaped baton to the next runner.
2. To attach or fasten something so it stays in place. You might stick a stamp on an envelope or stick a poster to your wall with tape. Glue makes things stick together. Mud sticks to your shoes after walking through a puddle.
3. To push something pointed into or through something else. You stick a fork into your dinner or stick a pin through papers to hold them together.
4. To stay with something even when it's difficult. When you stick with a challenging math problem instead of giving up, you keep working on it. Friends who stick together support each other through tough times. A nickname that sticks is one that people keep using, sometimes for years.

The word creates many useful phrases: stick around (stay nearby), stick out (be noticeable), stick up for (defend), and stick to your guns (hold your position firmly).