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.
often + stock — frequency adverb before verb
The shop near the school stocks notebooks, pens, and paper for children.
- stock a range of
- stock a variety of
- well stocked with
Grammar Patterns
stock + [product/goods]
Usage Note
The direct object is always the product or item being offered for sale, not the shop or shelf. Only businesses typically use this sense.
Common Mistakes
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.
passive: be stocked with [items]
Christopher stocked his desk with notebooks and pens for school.
The family stocked their cupboard with rice and canned vegetables.
- stock up
- stock with
- fully stocked
- freshly stocked
Grammar Patterns
stock + [container/space] + with + [goods]
Usage Note
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…').
Common Mistakes
stock up
phrasal verbto buy a large amount of something because you expect to need it later.
Femi stocked up on rice and cooking oil before the typhoon arrived.
The family stocked up their freezer with frozen meat for the winter.
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.
build up a stock of [something]
The library's stock of reference books has grown this year.
Camille ordered extra stock of the medicine before the winter flu season.
- stock of
- in stock
- out of stock
- build up stock
- keep stock
- run down stock
- shortage
situation when not enough is available
Grammar Patterns
stock of [something]
Usage Note
Often paired with 'of' to specify what is being stored. Can refer to physical items (food, books) or abstract resources (ideas, knowledge).
Common Mistakes
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.
- in stock
- out of stock
- check stock
- new stock
- hold stock
- 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
Grammar Patterns
in stock
out of stock
Common Mistakes
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.
- issue stock
- stock value
- raise stock
- own stock in
- stock offering
Grammar Patterns
stock in [company]
issue stock
Usage Note
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.
Common Mistakes
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.
stock market
Many employees receive stock in the company as part of their pay.
Rachid sold his stock when the share price reached its highest point.
- buy stock
- sell stock
- stock price
- stock market
- technology stocks
- blue-chip stocks
Grammar Patterns
stocks and shares
buy/sell stock
Usage Note
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.
Common Mistakes
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.
- government stock
- buy stock in
- interest on stock
- gilt-edged stock
Grammar Patterns
government stock
stock in [government]
Usage Note
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.
Common Mistakes
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.
stock cubes
Beatrix poured the stock through a sieve to remove the bits of bone and herbs.
- chicken stock
- vegetable stock
- beef stock
- fish stock
- make stock
- stock cube
- simmer stock
- strain stock
Grammar Patterns
make stock
chicken/vegetable/fish/beef stock
Usage Note
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.
Common Mistakes
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.
phrase: farm stock = livestock on a farm
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.
- raise stock
- sell stock
- quality stock
- farm stock
- breeding stock
Usage Note
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).
Common Mistakes
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.
- stock rises
- stock falls
- stock with [group]
- stock among [group]
- 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
Usage Note
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.
- comes from [adjective] stock
- of [adjective] stock
- farming stock
- good stock
Usage Note
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.
Common Mistakes
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.
collocation: [material] stock — oak/ walnut/ maple stock
The old hammer's wooden stock had cracked from years of heavy use.
- rifle stock
- wooden stock
- fit a stock
- oak stock
- gun stock
Usage Note
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.
Common Mistakes
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.
- put in the stocks
- in the stocks
- stocks stood
- set of stocks
- pillory
a similar device that held the head and hands specifically
Usage Note
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.
Common Mistakes
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.
- plant stocks
- sweet-smelling stocks
- stock flowers
- purple/white/pink stocks
- gillyflower
an older, less common name for the same flower
Usage Note
'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.
take stock
idiomto think carefully about a situation, especially in order to decide what to do next
After the project failed, the team took stock of what had gone wrong.
Camille decided to take stock of her career before making any big changes.
including everything; completely and entirely
They sold the farm lock, stock, and barrel, including all the tools and animals.
When Yael moved abroad, she sold her apartment lock, stock, and barrel.
take stock in
idiomto believe something is true or important; to trust or value something
Kabir does not take much stock in rumours that spread on social media.
The scientists took little stock in the claim because it had no evidence.
This phrase means completely, including every part.
Maya sold her entire art collection lock, stock and barrel.
Did Brian really move his whole workshop lock, stock and barrel?
on the stocks
idiomThis phrase means being planned or worked on and not yet finished.
The new library is on the stocks and should open next year.
Is your latest novel still on the stocks?
This phrase means to believe that something is true or important.
Sara doesn't put much stock in online reviews.
Why do you put so much stock in his opinion?
This phrase means to pause and think carefully about a situation before deciding what to do.
After the project failed, the team took stock of their mistakes.
It's time to take stock of your career and set new goals.
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.
stock + character — attributive before a noun
When asked about the shipping delay, the manager gave a stock answer about unexpected demand.
stock + answer — attributive, shows lack of genuine response
The card shop was full of stock Valentine's Day messages that all sounded alike.
stock + [type of message] — attributive, greeting-card context
- stock phrase
- stock answer
- stock response
- stock character
- stock plot
- stock excuse
- 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.
Grammar Patterns
stock + noun (phrase / answer / character / plot)
Usage Note
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'.
Common Mistakes
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.
stock + footage — attributive, video media
Linh saw the same stock photo of a smiling doctor on three health websites.
- stock photo
- stock image
- stock photograph
- stock footage
- stock library
- stock photography website
Grammar Patterns
stock + photo / image / photograph / footage
Usage Note
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.
Common Mistakes
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.
stock range — attributive before a noun
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.
- in stock
- stock item
- stock size
- stock colour
- stock model
- stock range
- 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.
Grammar Patterns
be + in stock
keep + in stock
stock + item / size / colour
Usage Note
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.
Common Mistakes
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.
stock animals — attributive, generic term for working animals
Kenji's sheepdog won first place in the stock dog trial at the county fair.
- stock dog
- stock horse
- stock animal
- stock dog trial
- stock horse training
Grammar Patterns
stock + dog / horse / animal
Usage Note
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.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- stockistnounB2
- stockroomnounB2
- stockpilenounC1
- stockpileverbC1
- stocktakingnounC1
- restockverbB2
- livestocknounB1
- stockbrokernounB2
- stockholdernounB2
- shareholdernounB2
- stockpotnounC1
- well-stockedadjectiveB1
- stock marketnounB1
- stock exchangenounB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words describe an accumulation of something kept for future use, but 'stock' emphasises that the items are kept ready for regular use or sale — it is the most practical, everyday term. 'Supply' is the broadest: it can refer to anything available, including abstract things (a supply of patience), while stock is almost always concrete (a stock of food). 'Inventory' is narrower and more formal: it refers specifically to a recorded list of stock (checking inventory) or the stock itself in a business context (taking inventory at year-end). 'Reserve' implies something held back for an emergency or special need rather than ordinary daily use (a reserve of funds, a reserve player). 'Store' focuses on where the items are kept (a store of grain in the silo) and can also be a verb, whereas stock as a noun highlights the quantity maintained. Example: 'The warehouse kept a large stock of spare parts' (ready for routine orders). 'They had a reserve of critical parts in a locked cabinet' (for emergencies only). 'The manager reviewed the inventory before the audit' (the record, not the goods).
Common collocations
Nouns
- stock market
- stock exchange
- stock price
- stock level
- stock control
- stock management
- stock rotation
- stock cube
- stock dog
Adverbs
- well stocked
- fully stocked
- freshly stocked
- currently in stock
- still in stock
Phrases
- take stock of
- lock, stock, and barrel
- in stock
- out of stock
- stock up on
Prepositions
- in stock
- out of stock
- stock up on
- stock up with
- stock with
- stock of
Etymology
Old English stoc(c) originally meant 'tree trunk, block of wood, post'. From this core physical sense came the weapon/tool handle meaning (noun/10: gun stock, hammer stock) and the historical punishment device (noun/11: the stocks). The plant sense (noun/12) is a 16th-century borrowing from Dutch stok 'stick, stem'. The idea of a tree trunk as a source of growth led to the 'family lineage' sense (noun/9: 'comes from good stock'). The supply meaning (noun/1–2) arose in the 1400s: a 'stock of goods' was the stored base from which a household or business operated. The financial senses (noun/3–5: company capital, shares, government bonds) grew out of this 'capital' notion in the 15th–18th centuries — the stock of a business was its core resources. The livestock sense (noun/7) comes from the 1500s, treating animals as a form of 'live stock'. The adjective meaning 'common, standard, overused' (adj/1) developed from the 1500s phrase 'stock phrase' — a phrase always kept in stock and ready to use. The cooking sense (noun/6: broth) follows the same supply logic: stock is a base liquid kept on hand to make soups and sauces.