/steɪk; stek/
n
1 [C] strong wood or metal stick, pointed at one end, that can be driven into the ground, eg to support a young tree, as a post for a fence, etc or as a marker 桩; 标桩.
2 the stake [sing] (formerly) post to which a person was tied before being burnt to death as a punishment （旧时的）火刑柱
*be burnt at the stake 以火刑处死
* go to the stake, ie be killed in this way 处以火刑.
3 [C usu pl 通常作复数] money, etc risked or gambled on the unknown result of a future event (eg a race, a card-game) 赌注
*playing for high stakes 下大赌注.
4 money, etc invested by sb in an enterprise so that he has an interest or share in it 投资; 投放的本钱
*have a stake in a company 在一家公司有股份
* She has a stake in the future success of the business. 她在这项生意上投了资以期将来获利.
5 stakes
(a) [pl] prize money, esp in a horse-race 奖金（尤指赛马的）.
(b) (usu 通常作 Stakes) [sing v] (esp in names) horse-race in which all the owners of the horses in the race contribute to the prize money （尤用于名称中）有奖赛马（参赛马的马主均须捐款用作奖金）
*The Newmarket Stakes is always a popular race. 纽马基特赛马总是吸引很多人.
6 (idm 习语) at stake to be won or lost; being risked, depending on the outcome of an event 在胜败关头; 冒风险
*This decision puts our lives at stake. 这么一决定, 我们的生命就吉凶难卜了.
* Our children's education is at stake. 我们孩子的教育好坏无法预料. go to the stake over sth maintain (an opinion, a principle, etc) at any cost 不惜一切代价地坚持（观点、原则等）
*I think I'm right on this issue but I wouldn't go to the stake over it. 我认为我在这个问题上是正确的, 但我并不想拚命坚持这一点.

v
1 [Tn] support (sth) with a stake 用桩支撑（某物）
*stake newly planted trees 用桩支撑新栽的树.
2 [Tn, Tn.pr] ~ sth (on sth) gamble or risk (money, one's hopes, one's life, etc) on sth 拿（金钱、希望、生命等）就某事物打赌或冒险
*stake
5 on the favourite, eg in a horse-race 在那个大热门（如赛马中的某匹马）上压5英镑
* I'd stake my life on it, ie I'm very confident about it. 我敢拿性命来担保.
3 [Tn] (US infml 口) give financial or other support to (sb/sth) 资助, 支持（某人[某事物]）
*stake a business 资助一家公司.
4 (idm 习语) stake (out) a/one's `claim (to sb/sth)
(a) mark out (a piece of land, etc) as one's own (esp formerly when arriving in a new country or area) 划（一块土地等）归为己有（尤指旧时初到某国或某地时）.
(b) declare a special interest (in sb/sth); claim a right (to sb/sth) 声称（与某人[某事物]）有特殊关联; 提出（对某人[某事物]的）所有权要求
*Several clubs have already staked a/their claim to this outstanding young footballer. 有几个足球俱乐部均表示这个年轻的足球健将是他们的人.
5 (phr v) stake sth out
(a) mark (an area) with stakes (esp formerly to claim ownership) 用桩标出（地）界（尤指旧时用以表明所有权）.
(b) declare a special interest in or right to (eg an area of study, a place) 声称对（研究领域、地方等）有特殊关联或所有权
*He's staked out this part of the house as his own. 他说屋子的这一部分归他所有.
(c) (infml 口 esp US) (of the police) watch (a place) continuously and secretly （指警方）持续监视（某处）
*Detectives have been staking out the house for two days now. 警方的侦查人员已对这座房子监视两天了.