stake

I UK [steɪk] / US noun
Word forms "stake":
singular stake plural stakes
**

1)

a) [countable] 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.

b) [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.

2)

a) [countable] 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.

b) stakes

[plural] the things that 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)

a) [countable] a wooden or metal post with a pointed end that is used for supporting or marking something

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

be burnt at the stake:

Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake in 1431.

4)

a) stakes

[plural] used in the names of some horse races

the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot

b) 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.

•

go to the stake for/over something — to defend a belief or idea even if you suffer as a result

- at stake

II UK [steɪk] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "stake":
present tense I/you/we/they stake he/she/it stakes present participle staking past tense staked past participle staked

a) to risk losing or damaging something valuable in order to obtain or achieve something

stake something on something:

The government has staked its reputation on eliminating the deficit.

b) 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 favourite.

•

stake a claim (to/for something) — to say or show clearly that you consider that something is or should be yours

Both sides were staking a claim to the land.

- stake your life on something

Phrasal verbs:

- stake out