[step out on]{v. phr.} To be unfaithful to one’s marriage partner or steady lover. •/It is rumored that he has been stepping out on his wife. That’s why she’s so upset./

[stepped up]{adj.} Carried on at a faster or more active rate; increased. •/To fill the increase in orders, the factory had to operate at a stepped-up rate./

[step up]{v.} 1. To go from a lower to a higher place. •/John stepped up onto the platform and began to speak./ 2. To come towards or near; approach. •/The sergeant called for volunteers and Private Jones stepped up to volunteer./ •/John waited until the teacher had finished speaking to Mary, and then he stepped up./ 3. To go or to make (something) go faster or more actively. •/When John found he was going to be late, he stepped up his pace./ •/After we had reached the outskirts of town, we stepped up the engine./ •/The enemy was near, and the army stepped up its patrols to find them before they got too close./ 4. To rise to a higher or more important position; be promoted. •/This year Mary is secretary of the club, but I am sure she will step up to president next year./ Contrast: STEP DOWN(3).

[sterling character]{n. phr.} A person of irreproachable character; one of the highest professional standards. •/The nominee for the Supreme Court must be a sterling character in every possible way./

[stew in one’s own juice]{v. phr.}, {informal} To suffer from something that you have caused to happen yourself. •/John lied to Tom, but Tom found out. Now Tom is making John stew in his own juice./ •/I warned you not to steal those apples. You got caught, and you can stew in your own juice./

[stick] See: CARROT AND STICK, MORE THAN ONE COULD SHAKE A STICK AT.

[stick around]{v.}, {informal} To stay or wait nearby. •/John’s father told him to stick around and they would go fishing./ •/After work Mr. Harris stuck around to ride home with his friend./

[stick by one]{v. phr.} To support; remain loyal to. •/All of Peter’s friends stuck by him faithfully, in spite of what has been said about him in the press./

[stick in one’s craw] or [stuck in one’s crop] {v. phr.} To make you angry; bother you; annoy you. •/His parents' praise of his brother stuck in Jerry’s craw./ •/Sue’s failure to get a better grade than Ann stuck in her crop./

[stick in one’s throat]{v. phr.} To be something you do not want to say; be hard to say. •/Jean wanted to ask the teacher’s pardon, but the words stuck in her throat./

[stick-in-the-mud]{n.}, {informal} An overcareful person; someone who is old-fashioned and fights change. •/Mabel said her mother was a real stick-in-the-mud to make a rule that she must be home by 10 o’clock on weeknights and 11:30 Saturdays./ •/Mr. Thomas is a stick-in-the-mud who plows with mules; he won’t buy a tractor./

[stick one’s neck out] or [stick one’s chin out] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do something dangerous or risky. •/When I was in trouble, Paul was the only one who would stick his neck out to help me./ •/John is always sticking his chin out by saying something he shouldn’t./

[stick one’s nose into] See: NOSE INTO.

[stick out]{v.} 1a. To stand out from a wall or other surface; project; extend. •/The limb stuck out from the trunk of the tree./ 1b. To be seen or noticed more easily or quickly than others; be noticeable. •/My house is the only brick one on the street. It sticks out and you can’t miss it./ •/Mary plays basketball very well. The others on the team are good, but she really sticks out./ 1c. Often used in the informal phrase stick out like a sore thumb. •/John is so shy and awkward that he sticks out like a sore thumb./ Syn.: STAND OUT. 2. {informal} To keep on doing something until it is done no matter how long, hard, or unpleasant. •/Bill is not a fast runner and he doesn’t have a chance of winning the marathon, but he will stick out the race even if he finishes last./ — Often used in the phrase "stick it out". •/Mathematics is hard, but if you stick it out you will understand it./ Compare: HANG ON(2), STICK WITH(1).

[stick out like a sore thumb]{v. phr.} To be conspicuous; be different from the rest. •/When the foreign student was placed in an advanced English grammar class by mistake, it was no wonder that he stuck out like a sore thumb./

[stick together]{v.} To remain close together in a situation. •/Stick together in the cave so that no one gets lost./ •/The gang stuck together after the game./ •/Bill and Bob stick together in a game or in a fight./ Syn.: HANG TOGETHER(1).

[stick to one’s guns] or [stand by one’s guns] {v. phr.} To hold to an aim or an opinion even though people try to stop you or say you are wrong. •/People laughed at Columbus when he said the world was round. He stuck to his guns and proved he was right./ •/At first the boss would not give Jane the raise in pay she wanted, but she stood by her guns and he gave it to her./ Compare: STAND ONE’S GROUND.

[stick to one’s knitting] or [tend to one’s knitting] {v. phr.}, {informal} To do your own job and not bother other people. •/The trouble with Henry is that he is always telling other people what to do; he can’t stick to his knitting./

[stick to one’s ribs] or [stick to the ribs] {v. phr.}, {informal} To keep you from getting hungry again too quickly. •/Doctors say you should eat a good breakfast that sticks to your ribs./ •/Farmers eat food that sticks to the ribs./

[stick to the point]{v. phr.} To stay on course during a discussion; adhere to the topic; not talk about extraneous matters. •/Stick to the point and stop telling us your life history!/ See: COME TO THE POINT.

[stick up]{v.}, {informal} To rob with a gun. •/When the messenger left the bank, a man jumped out of an alley and stuck him up./ Syn.: HOLD UP. •/In the old West, outlaws sometimes stuck up the stagecoaches./

[stick-up]{n.}, {informal} A robbery by a man with a gun. •/Mr. Smith was the victim of a stick-up last night./

[stick up for] See: STAND UP FOR.

[stick with]{v.}, {informal} 1. or [stay with] To continue doing; not quit. •/Fred stayed with his homework until it was done./ •/Practicing is tiresome, but stick with it and some day you will be a good pianist./ Compare: STICK TO. 2. To stay with; not leave. •/Stick with me until we get out of the crowd./ •/For two months Bill’s boss could not pay his salary, but Bill stuck with him because he thought the company would soon succeed./ 3. To sell (someone) something poor or worthless; cheat. •/Father said that the man in the store tried to stick him with a bad TV set./ 4. To leave (someone) with (something unpleasant); force to do or keep something because others cannot or will not. — Usually used in the passive. •/When Harry and I went to the store to buy ice cream cones, Harry ran out with his cone without paying and I was stuck with paying for it./ •/Mary didn’t wash the dishes before she left so I’m stuck with it./ •/Mr. Jones bought a house that is too big and expensive, but now he’s stuck with it./

[stick with]{v. phr.} To unfairly thrust upon; encumber one with. •/In the restaurant my friends stuck me with the bill although it was supposed to be Dutch treat./