[-ING1.]
1. The action of STICK v.1 a. The action of piercing or stabbing, or of thrusting (a weapon, tool, etc.) into or through something.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 2623. Þare was stomling of stedis, sticking of erles [etc.].
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 475/2. Stykynge in beestes, jugulacio.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., xviii. Although the doing such a deed were as ignoble as the sticking of swine.
1896. P. Bigelow, in Harper’s Mag., April, 772/1. An eye-witness wrote: ‘The enemy received our bayonet attack up to within three paces; then began the sticking, for there was no more shooting.’
b. Fixing or fastening in position. Also with on, etc.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., 954. A whit wal, al-though it ne brenne noght fully by stikynge of a candele, yet is the wal blak of the leyt.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 475/2. Stykynge, or festynge to, confixio, fixura.
c. The action of setting a surface with something; † garnishing (of meat); setting (of cotton or wool cards) with teeth.
1633. Hart, Diet of Diseased, I. xxii. 101. The Clove … is very much used in the kitchin both for sauces, and sticking of meat.
1794. Morse, Amer. Geog., 332. [There] are made yearly about 7000 dozen of cotton and wool cards…. The sticking of these cards employs not less than 1000 people.
d. The process or condition of adhering.
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Apegamiento, sticking to, cleauing to, adhaesio, conglutinatio.
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, xi. ¶ 23. They … try its consistence by sticking together of their Finger and Thumb.
1719. London & Wise, Compl. Gard., V. 86. As for the sticking to the Stone in Plumbs, ’tis not worth minding.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., lviii. To move, like the limpet, by an apparent sticking which after a good while is discerned to be a slight progression.
1910. N. Hawkins’ Electr. Dict., Sticking.—In telegraphy, a tendency of the relay to cling to the pole of its magnet after the current is broken.
e. Hesitation, scruple, delay; an instance of this; also a cause of hesitation or delay. Now rare or Obs.
1528. Gardiner, in Pocock, Rec. Ref., I. l. 104. To the intent we might the better discipher the very lett and sticking.
1578. T. P., Knowl. Warres, 19. The Souldiour … must be tractable, and obedient to the commaundement of his Captayne, and that without styckinge.
a. 1631. Donne, Lett., v. Poems, etc. (1633), 364. And as to that life, all stickings and hesitations seeme stupid and stony, so to this [etc.].
1725. Wodrow, Corr. (1843), III. 201. My landlord is reflected on for sticking; and I believe, if he had not been ill treated and fretted, all had been easy.
f. Coming to a stand; being unable to proceed.
1570. T. Wilson, trans. Demosthenes, Pref. **j b. That such as bee not learned, may the rather go thorow with the reading of these Orations without any sticking at all.
1730. T. Boston, Life, xii. (1908), 315. My matter coming to me as I wrote…: if at any time I walked, it was occasioned by my sticking.
g. Of a batsman: Continuance at the wicket or ‘in’ by means of ultra-defensive play.
1901. R. H. Lyttelton, Outdoor Games, vi. 122. If the wicket is to be enlarged I should prefer it in this form, though ‘sticking’ would be even greater than it is now.
h. Sticking-up. Australian. The action of stopping (a conveyance or person) on the highway for robbery. Also attrib.
1855. Melbourne Argus, 18 Jan., 5/4. [Witness] said he was coming from Richmond on the night of the robbery, and saw a sticking-up case.
1893. Mrs. C. Praed, Outlaw & Lawmaker, I. 28. The sticking-up of the Goondi coach.
2. concr. a. Mining. = SELVAGE 5
1747. Hooson, Miner’s Dict., U 1. All Scrins, and smaller Kind of Veins, that afford not Shoulder Room, their width between the Sides may be called the Sticking, and this is the common Name that we Miners give to all of that Size.
1789. T. Williams, Min. Kingd., I. 13. A blackish soft sticking of clay, perhaps not above half an inch thick.
1875. J. H. Collins, Metal Mining, 26. The country on each side is frequently much altered, ‘mineralised’ as miners say. This altered band … is variously known as capel, stickings, selvage, and … other names.
b. pl. ‘Coarse, bruised, inferior meat; spec. the portions damaged by the butcher’s knife’ (Farmer).
Cf. STICKING-PIECE; also sticking-bit, -part, in 3.
1851. Mayhew, Lond. Labour, I. 196. The meat (for pies) is bought in ‘pieces,’ of the same part as the sausage-makers purchase—the stickings.
1894. West Sussex County Times, 17 March, 4/6. The Guardians are desirous of receiving Tenders … for … Meat, Consisting of Beef (thick flanks, and clods, and stickings) free from bone.
3. attrib. and Comb.
1869. J. P. Morris, Furness Gloss., *Stickin’-bit, the neck-end of mutton.
1875. Carpentry & Join., 6. *Sticking boards used in planing up sash bars.
1885. C. G. W. Lock, Workshop Receipts, Ser. IV. 3/1. This [coat] is usually a different mixture … and is called a *‘sticking-coat,’ its object being to secure adhesion between the fabric and the rubber.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 87/2. The *Sticking Draught, is a part of the Breast [of an ox] when it is cut long-ways, over cross the bones.
1495–6. in Finchale Priory Charters, etc. (Surtees), p. cccxciv. iij *stekyngknyffze.
1909. N. Hawkins’ Mech. Dict., *Sticking Machine.—A woodworking machine, forming straight mouldings by means of rotary cutters.
1881. Daily News, 3 Sept., 2/5. My father had in three fore-quarters of beef. When the officer came in I was trimming up the *sticking parts.
1733. W. Ellis, Chiltern & Vale Farm., 233. This sort of Ground by its *sticking Quality, will more easily fasten about and hold the Beans.
