a stick of eels

Stick \Stick\, n. [OE. sticke, AS. sticca; akin to stician to
   stab, prick, pierce, G. stecken a stick, staff, OHG. steccho,
   Icel. stik a stick. See {Stick}, v. t..]
   1. A small shoot, or branch, separated, as by a cutting, from
      a tree or shrub; also, any stem or branch of a tree, of
      any size, cut for fuel or timber.
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            Withered sticks to gather, which might serve
            Against a winter's day.               --Milton.
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   2. Any long and comparatively slender piece of wood, whether
      in natural form or shaped with tools; a rod; a wand; a
      staff; as, the stick of a rocket; a walking stick.
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   3. Anything shaped like a stick; as, a stick of wax.
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   4. A derogatory expression for a person; one who is inert or
      stupid; as, an odd stick; a poor stick. [Colloq.]
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   5. (Print.) A composing stick. See under {Composing}. It is
      usually a frame of metal, but for posters, handbills,
      etc., one made of wood is used.
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   6. A thrust with a pointed instrument; a stab.
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   {A stick of eels}, twenty-five eels. [Prov. Eng.]

   {Stick chimney}, a chimney made of sticks laid crosswise, and
      cemented with clay or mud, as in some log houses. [U.S.]
      

   {Stick insect}, (Zool.), any one of various species of
      wingless orthopterous insects of the family {Phasmidae},
      which have a long round body, resembling a stick in form
      and color, and long legs, which are often held rigidly in
      such positions as to make them resemble small twigs. They
      thus imitate the branches and twigs of the trees on which
      they live. The common American species is {Diapheromera
      femorata}. Some of the Asiatic species are more than a
      foot long.

   {To cut one's stick}, or {To cut stick}, to run away. [Slang]
      --De Quincey.
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