Definition: stake

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7 

stake
     n 1: a right or legal share of something; a financial involvement
          with something; "they have interests all over the
          world"; "a stake in the company's future" [syn: interest]
     2: a pole or stake set up to mark something (as the start or
        end of a race track) [syn: post]
     3: instrument of execution consisting of a vertical post that a
        victim is tied to for burning
     4: the money risked on a gamble [syn: stakes, bet, wager]
     v 1: put at risk; "I will stake my good reputation for this"
          [syn: venture, hazard, adventure, jeopardize]
     2: place a bet on; "Which horse are you backing?" "I'm betting
        on the new horse" [syn: bet on, back, gage, game,
        punt]
     3: mark with a stake; "stake out the path" [syn: post]
     4: tie or fasten to a stake; "stake your goat"
     5: kill by piercing with a spear or sharp pole; "the enemies
        were impaled and left to die" [syn: impale]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) 

Stake \Stake\, n. (Mormon Ch.)
   A territorial division; -- called also stake of Zion.

         Every city, or ``stake,'' including a chief town and
         surrounding towns, has its president, with two
         counselors; and this president has a high council of
         chosen men.                              --Schaff-Herzog
                                                  Encyc.
Stake \Stake\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Staked; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Staking.]
   1. To fasten, support, or defend with stakes; as, to stake
      vines or plants.

   2. To mark the limits of by stakes; -- with out; as, to stake
      out land; to stake out a new road.

   3. To put at hazard upon the issue of competition, or upon a
      future contingency; to wager; to pledge.

            I'll stake yon lamb, that near the fountain plays.
                                                  --Pope.

   4. To pierce or wound with a stake. --Spectator.
Stake \Stake\, n. [AS. staca, from the root of E. stick; akin to
   OFries. & LG. stake, D. staak, Sw. stake, Dan. stage. See
   Stick, v. t., and cf. Estacade, Stockade.]
   1. A piece of wood, usually long and slender, pointed at one
      end so as to be easily driven into the ground as a support
      or stay; as, a stake to support vines, fences, hedges,
      etc.

            A sharpened stake strong Dryas found. --Dryden.

   2. A stick inserted upright in a lop, eye, or mortise, at the
      side or end of a cart, a flat car, or the like, to prevent
      goods from falling off.

   3. The piece of timber to which a martyr was affixed to be
      burned; hence, martyrdom by fire.

   4. A small anvil usually furnished with a tang to enter a
      hole in a bench top, -- used by tinsmiths, blacksmiths,
      etc., for light work, punching upon, etc.

   5. That which is laid down as a wager; that which is staked
      or hazarded; a pledge.

   At stake, in danger; hazarded; pledged. ``I see my
      reputation is at stake.'' --Shak.

Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (2003-OCT-10) 

@stake

   <security, software> A computer security development group and
   consultancy dedicated to researching and documenting security
   flaws that exist in operating systems, network
   protocols, or software.

   @stake publishes information about security flaws through
   advisories, research reports, and tools.  They release the
   information and tools to help system administrators, users,
   and software and hardware vendors better secure their
   systems.

   L0pht merged with @stake in January 2000.

   @stake home.

   (2003-06-12)