stock
stock — verb
1. to have a product available at a shop or business so that people can buy it.
to have a product available at a shop or business so that people can buy it.
The supermarket on Main Street stocks fresh vegetables and fruit every day.
stock + [product type] — goods kept for sale
Diego's favourite bookstore stocks novels by local and foreign writers.
The small pharmacy stocks medicine for colds and simple headaches.
Hardware shops near the station often stock paint and garden tools.
The shop near the school stocks notebooks, pens, and paper for children.
文法句型
stock + [product/goods]
用法筆記
The direct object is always the product or item being offered for sale, not the shop or shelf. Only businesses typically use this sense.
常見錯誤
2. to put a supply of things into a cupboard, shelf, room, or other space so that t
to put a supply of things into a cupboard, shelf, room, or other space so that they are ready to use or sell.
Élise stocked the fridge with enough food for the whole week.
stock + [container] + with + [contents]
The shop workers stocked the shelves before the morning rush.
The kitchen was stocked with pots, pans, and cooking utensils.
Christopher stocked his desk with notebooks and pens for school.
The family stocked their cupboard with rice and canned vegetables.
文法句型
stock + [container/space] + with + [goods]
用法筆記
The direct object is the container or space being filled. Use 'with' to specify what is put inside. Frequently appears in the passive ('the fridge is stocked with…').
常見錯誤
stock — noun
1. things that a person or organization keeps so that they can use or sell them whe
things that a person or organization keeps so that they can use or sell them when needed
The hospital keeps a large stock of blood for emergencies.
keep a stock of [something]
Kabir checked the warehouse to see how much paper stock was left.
When the storm came, families rushed to build up their stock of food and water.
The library's stock of reference books has grown this year.
Camille ordered extra stock of the medicine before the winter flu season.
- shortage
situation when not enough is available
文法句型
stock of [something]
用法筆記
Often paired with 'of' to specify what is being stored. Can refer to physical items (food, books) or abstract resources (ideas, knowledge).
常見錯誤
2. all the products that a store has ready for customers to buy
all the products that a store has ready for customers to buy
The store is running low on stock of winter coats.
running low on stock
Greta asked the shop assistant whether the new phone was in stock.
in stock / out of stock
This item is currently out of stock, but more should arrive next week.
Vinícius works at the shoe store, where he helps organize the stock.
The supermarket rotates its stock so that nothing stays on the shelves too long.
- merchandise
more formal and specific to goods for sale; less common in everyday speech
- inventory
refers to the recorded list of goods, not the goods themselves
文法句型
in stock
out of stock
常見錯誤
3. the money a business receives when it sells parts of its ownership to investors,
the money a business receives when it sells parts of its ownership to investors, used to run and grow the company
The company raised additional stock by offering new shares to investors.
raise stock / issue stock
Beatrix owns stock in a technology firm that develops solar panels.
own stock in [company]
The board decided to issue more stock to pay for the new factory.
When a company's stock value rises, it becomes easier to borrow money.
Tuan put his savings into the stock of several renewable-energy companies.
文法句型
stock in [company]
issue stock
用法筆記
Frequently in business and finance contexts. 'Stock' in this sense is uncountable and refers to the total capital, while 'shares' (sense 4) refers to the individual units.
常見錯誤
4. one of the equal parts that a company's ownership is divided into, which people
one of the equal parts that a company's ownership is divided into, which people can buy and sell to make a profit
Cyrus bought stock in three different companies to spread his risk.
buy stock in [company]
The price of their stock fell sharply after the bad news about profits.
Eri checks the stock market report every morning before work.
Many employees receive stock in the company as part of their pay.
Rachid sold his stock when the share price reached its highest point.
文法句型
stocks and shares
buy/sell stock
用法筆記
In American English, 'stock' is used both for the general concept (sense 3) and for individual units (this sense). In British English, 'shares' is preferred for individual units. 'Stock market' is the common term for the place where stocks are traded.
常見錯誤
5. money that people lend to a national government, which pays them back with regul
money that people lend to a national government, which pays them back with regular interest payments over a fixed period
Government stock is considered safe because the state guarantees the interest.
government stock
Yael put some of her pension money into five-year government stock.
The interest rate on government stock has dropped to its lowest level in years.
Older investors often prefer government stock over company shares for its steady returns.
Christopher bought government stock that pays four percent interest every year.
文法句型
government stock
stock in [government]
用法筆記
Primarily British English. In American English, these are usually called 'government bonds' or 'treasury bonds'. The term 'stocks' in this sense refers to the loan itself, not to company ownership.
常見錯誤
6. a savoury cooking liquid created by slowly heating bones, meat scraps, or vegeta
a savoury cooking liquid created by slowly heating bones, meat scraps, or vegetables with water, used to add depth to soups, stews, and sauces
Kasia made a rich chicken stock by simmering the bones with onions and carrots.
make [type] stock: chicken stock / vegetable stock
The chef used fish stock as the base for the seafood soup.
Vinícius keeps a container of homemade vegetable stock in the freezer for quick sauces.
You can buy stock cubes at the supermarket to add flavour to stews.
Beatrix poured the stock through a sieve to remove the bits of bone and herbs.
文法句型
make stock
chicken/vegetable/fish/beef stock
用法筆記
Distinguish from 'broth' — stock is usually unseasoned and made from bones, while broth is seasoned and often includes meat. In practice, home cooks often use the terms interchangeably.
常見錯誤
7. creatures like cattle, pigs, and poultry that people keep on a farm and use for
creatures like cattle, pigs, and poultry that people keep on a farm and use for their meat, eggs, wool, or milk.
The farmer sold most of his stock at the market before the first frost.
collocation: sell stock / raise stock
Jiwoo keeps a small stock of goats and chickens on her family's land.
Diseases that spread quickly among farm stock can ruin a year's income.
During the drought, Tariro had to sell most of her stock to buy feed.
The valley's farmers are known for raising quality stock on organic pastures.
用法筆記
Often used as a mass noun with no article. Can be modified by adjectives indicating quality (good stock, poor stock) or purpose (beef stock, breeding stock).
常見錯誤
8. the level of trust, respect, or popularity that a person, company, or group enjo
the level of trust, respect, or popularity that a person, company, or group enjoys among others.
After the scandal, the senator's stock among voters fell sharply.
pattern: [person]'s stock + among [group] + rise/fall
Yael's stock at the firm rose after she won the big contract.
The company's stock with local residents has never been higher than it is now.
A manager's stock depends on how fairly they treat their team members.
- standing
similar meaning but slightly more formal; often used in academic contexts
- reputation
broader; can apply to any quality while stock specifically measures popularity and trust
用法筆記
Almost always used with a possessive (someone's stock) and a following prepositional phrase indicating among whom. Frequently appears with verbs like rise, fall, go up, go down.
9. the line of ancestors or the family background from which a person, animal, or g
the line of ancestors or the family background from which a person, animal, or group has developed.
Ezra comes from farming stock that has worked this land for generations.
pattern: [person] comes from [adjective] stock
The museum traced the family's stock back to an eighteenth-century merchant.
Nikhil is of Indian stock, though he grew up in Singapore as a child.
Lara comes from artistic stock — her grandmother was a painter in Paris.
The dog's stock can be traced to working sheepdogs from the Scottish Highlands.
用法筆記
Typically used with a preceding adjective (good stock, farming stock, Irish stock) or in the pattern 'of [adjective] stock'. Also common for animals, especially pedigree animals.
常見錯誤
10. the solid handle or supporting piece of a tool or weapon, particularly the rear
the solid handle or supporting piece of a tool or weapon, particularly the rear section of a long firearm that you rest against your shoulder to aim and fire.
Henry fitted a new wooden stock to his grandfather's old rifle.
pattern: fit/attach a [material] stock to [weapon]
The woodcarver shaped a smooth stock for the hammer handle.
Karim pressed the rifle stock firmly against his shoulder before firing.
This shotgun has an oak stock that is over a hundred years old now.
The old hammer's wooden stock had cracked from years of heavy use.
用法筆記
For guns, stock refers specifically to the rear part held against the body, not the barrel or mechanisms. For other tools (hammers, shovels), stock can mean the whole handle.
常見錯誤
11. a wooden restraint containing openings that lock around the ankles, wrists, or n
a wooden restraint containing openings that lock around the ankles, wrists, or neck, used in earlier times to trap lawbreakers in a public location so the community could see them.
The thief was placed in the stocks in the town square for three days.
passive: be placed in the stocks
In medieval England, being put in the stocks meant public shame and discomfort.
The wooden stocks stood outside the courthouse for over two hundred years.
Visitors to the village museum can see a set of stocks from the seventeen hundreds.
- pillory
a similar device that held the head and hands specifically
用法筆記
Nearly always used in the plural form 'stocks' even when referring to a single device. The term is historical and rarely used in modern contexts except in museums or historical writing.
常見錯誤
12. a flowering plant grown in gardens that produces tall stems of colourful, sweet-
a flowering plant grown in gardens that produces tall stems of colourful, sweet-scented blooms in spring and summer.
The garden was full of pink and purple stocks in early summer.
Élise planted a row of sweet-smelling stocks along the front path.
collocation: sweet-smelling stock(s)
Stock flowers are popular in English cottage gardens for their lovely scent.
The florist arranged white stocks with roses for the wedding bouquet.
Hari bought a pot of stocks from the market to brighten his balcony.
- gillyflower
an older, less common name for the same flower
用法筆記
'Stock' as a flower can be used as a count noun (a stock, two stocks) or as a plural referring to the plants in general. The Latin genus name is Matthiola.
stock — adjective
1. Describing a phrase, idea, plot, or response that people have encountered repeat
Describing a phrase, idea, plot, or response that people have encountered repeatedly and that feels dull because it lacks originality.
The film's stock plot sends a city person to the countryside for life lessons.
stock + plot — attributive use before a noun
Eitan's campaign speech used stock phrases that failed to excite the audience.
stock + phrase — attributive, negative connotation
Reviewers criticised the show for its stock characters who never developed beyond their one-note personalities.
When asked about the shipping delay, the manager gave a stock answer about unexpected demand.
The card shop was full of stock Valentine's Day messages that all sounded alike.
- hackneyed
Very similar in meaning but can be used predicatively ('the phrase is hackneyed'); slightly more formal than 'stock'.
- clichéd
Emphasises that the expression is overused to the point of being meaningless; more common in arts criticism.
- stereotypical
Focuses on an oversimplified, shared image of a group or situation, not just overuse.
- predictable
Broader — describes anything that can be foreseen, not necessarily overused.
- original
Describes something new and creative, the opposite of a reused formula.
- fresh
Implies novelty and energy that a stock expression lacks.
- innovative
Emphasises new methods or ideas rather than tired repetition.
文法句型
stock + noun (phrase / answer / character / plot)
用法筆記
Only used before a noun in standard writing — 'a stock phrase', 'a stock response'. The tone is mildly critical, suggesting a lack of original thought or effort. Common collocates include 'phrase', 'answer', 'response', 'character', 'plot', and 'joke'.
常見錯誤
2. Describing a photograph, image, or video clip that an agency or library holds re
Describing a photograph, image, or video clip that an agency or library holds ready for customers to license and use, rather than being shot for a specific project.
Kofi used a stock image of a handshake for his team-building presentation.
stock + image — attributive, photography/media domain
The website uses stock photographs instead of paying a professional photographer for original shots.
stock + photograph — attributive, implies generic quality
Darius found a stock picture of a sunrise for his travel blog.
You can licence stock footage of city skylines from that library for a small fee.
Linh saw the same stock photo of a smiling doctor on three health websites.
文法句型
stock + photo / image / photograph / footage
用法筆記
Attributive only — say 'a stock photo', not 'the photo is stock'. Opposite of 'custom' or 'bespoke' photography. The word is common in web design, marketing, and publishing contexts.
常見錯誤
3. Describing a product that a shop or supplier currently has available to sell imm
Describing a product that a shop or supplier currently has available to sell immediately, without needing to place a special order.
The new video game console is already in stock at most major electronics retailers.
in stock — predicative after 'be', availability meaning
Tara checked if the winter coats were in stock before driving to the store.
still in stock — predicative after 'be', with adverb modifier
The hardware store keeps stock paint colours that customers can take home right away.
Reuben asked if the blue sofa was in stock and ready for same-day delivery.
Ayesha found the medicine in stock at the corner pharmacy after two stores had none.
- out of stock
The direct opposite — the product is not currently available for purchase.
- sold out
Emphasises that all items have been bought, rather than simply being unavailable.
- unavailable
Generic opposite covering any reason the product cannot be bought.
文法句型
be + in stock
keep + in stock
stock + item / size / colour
用法筆記
Predicative 'in stock' is far more common than the attributive use ('stock item'). When used predicatively, it often pairs with adverbs like 'still', 'currently', 'now'. The opposite is 'out of stock' (not available). In American English, 'in stock' is used for both physical shops and online stores.
常見錯誤
4. Describing a dog, horse, or other animal that is bred and trained to herd, move,
Describing a dog, horse, or other animal that is bred and trained to herd, move, or manage groups of livestock such as sheep, cattle, or goats.
The farmer trained his border collie to work as a stock dog for herding sheep.
stock dog — attributive, farming domain
Andrei bought a young stock horse from a Montana ranch to help round up cattle.
stock horse — attributive before a noun
Stock dogs must be quick and calm when separating cows from the herd for checks.
The ranch keeps several stock animals for the yearly mustering of cattle across the valley.
Kenji's sheepdog won first place in the stock dog trial at the county fair.
文法句型
stock + dog / horse / animal
用法筆記
Attributive only — say 'a stock dog', not 'the dog is stock'. Common in agricultural, ranching, and competitive herding contexts. A 'stock dog' is specifically a working animal, not a pet; the term implies training for practical farm tasks.