n (1)桩，柱，桩标(pointed stick or post driven into the ground as a boundary mark，part of a fence，support for a young tree，etc)[C]：tether an animal to a～把动物拴在桩上;One of the～s in the fence is broken. 篱笆上的一根立柱折了。〖同〗post，pole，pile，pillar，rod;

(2)火刑柱;火刑(post to which a person was tied to be burnt to death as a punishment;punishment by death in this way)[C，U，the～]：be burnt/suffer at the～殉难/受难于火刑柱;die at the～for heretical religious beliefs 因异教信仰死于火刑柱;be condemned to the～被判处火刑;go to the～被判以火刑;Joan of Arc was put to the～. 圣女贞德被处以火刑。

(3)赌金(注)，(比赛)奖金(amount of money or the prize awarded to the winner of a bet，gambling game，contest，or race)[C，通常pl]：enjoy playing cards for high～s 打牌喜欢下大注;lose one's～s when the horse finished last 因赛马最后到达而输掉了自己的全部赌金;The～s were divided up among the winners. 获胜者分享奖金。〖同〗prize，returns;

(4)投资，股份(share or investment in an enterprise)[C]：have (buy) a large～in cotton industry/the business 拥有(买下)棉花业/该商号的大量股份;have a～in several companies/the future of the world 拥有几家公司的股票/投资于世界的未来;〖同〗share，investment;

at stake 得失攸关，处于胜败关头：The peace of the country is at～. 国家的和平吉凶难卜。

go to the stake over sth 不惜代价坚持(观点，原则等)：He thinks he's right on this issue but he wouldn't go to the～over it. 他认为他在这个问题上是正确的，可是他不会不惜代价去坚持。

vt (1)用桩支撑(fasten or support (sth) with a stake)[T+n]：～a plant 用桩支撑一株植物;plant and～all the new trees 用桩把新种的树全部支撑好;〖同〗support，stay，secure，fasten;

(2)打赌，以……为赌注(gamble or risk(money，one's life or sth of value) on sth)[T+n，T+n+prep (on)]：～twenty dollars/all one's money on the black horse 把20美元/自己所有的钱押在那匹黑马上;～one's life/one's reputation on it 拿自己的生命/名誉打赌;～one's life on sb's honesty 以自己的生命来担保某人的诚实;～one's hope on sb 把希望全寄托在某人身上;〖同〗bet，risk，chance，venture;

(3)资助，支持(give financial or other support needed for a planned venture)[T+n](AmE，infml)：～a business 资助一家公司;〖同〗finance;

stake (out) a/one's claim (to sb/sth)对……提出要求;声明……属于自己：He's～ed out a claim to the house lot. 他说那块宅基地是属于他的。

stake out (v adv) 1)用桩标出地界(vt)：The builders have～d out the land where the houses are to be built. 建设者已经用木桩把准备建房的地方标了出来。2)(指警察)监视(vt)(infml)(尤AmE)： It's wise to～out each freed prisoner for the first few months after he gets out of prison. 警察对每一个刚出狱的犯人监视几个月是明智的。

→′stake-out n 警察的秘密监视;被警察监视的地区或房屋