stub

UK: /ˈstʌb/ US: /stʌb/ ,(stub)

Inflections of 'stub' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

stubs

v 3rd person singular

stubbing

v pres p

stubbed

v past

stubbed

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

stub¹ /stʌb/   n., v., stubbed, stub•bing. 
n. [countable]

1. a short part that sticks out.
2. a short remaining piece, as of a pencil or cigar.
3. (in a checkbook, receipt book, etc.) the inner end of each page, for keeping a record of the content of the part that has been filled out and torn away:
   We checked our stubs and found that we had written a check already.
4. the returned portion of a ticket:
   You'll need your ticket stub if you want to get back inside the theater.

v. 

5. to strike (one's toe or foot) accidentally against some object that sticks out:
   [~ + object] I stubbed my toe in the dark.
6. to extinguish the burning end of (a cigarette or cigar) by crushing it against a solid object: [~ + out + object]
   He stubbed out his cigar.
   [~ + object + out]
   to stub his cigar out.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

stub¹ (stub),  n., v., stubbed, stub•bing. 

n. 

1. a short projecting part.
2. a short remaining piece, as of a pencil, candle, or cigar.
3. (in a checkbook, receipt book, etc.) the inner end of each leaf, for keeping a record of the content of the part filled out and torn away.
4. the returned portion of a ticket.
5. Botany the end of a fallen tree, shrub, or plant left fixed in the ground;
   stump.
6. something having a short, blunt shape, esp. a short-pointed, blunt pen.
7. Building See stub nail. 
8. something having the look of incomplete or stunted growth, as a horn of an animal.
9. Games [Bridge.] a part-score.

v.t. 

10. to strike accidentally against a projecting object:
    I stubbed my toe against the step.
11. to extinguish the burning end of (a cigarette or cigar) by crushing it against a solid object (often fol. by out):
    He stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray.
12. Agriculture to clear of stubs, as land.
13. Botany, Agriculture to dig up by the roots;
    grub up (roots).

• bef. 1000; (noun, nominal) Middle English stubb(e), Old English stubb tree stump; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch stubbe, Old Norse stubbi; akin to Old Norse stūfr stump; (verb, verbal) late Middle English stubben to dig up by the roots, clear stumps from (land), derivative of the noun, nominal

stub′ber, n. 

stub² (stub), adj. 

1. stocky;
   squat.

• special use of stub¹ 1705–15

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

stub / stʌb/ noun

1. a short piece remaining after something has been cut, removed, etc: a cigar stub
2. the residual piece or section of a receipt, ticket, cheque, etc
3. the part of a cheque, postal order, receipt, etc, detached and retained as a record of the transaction
   Also called (in Britain): counterfoil
4. any short projection or blunted end
5. the stump of a tree or plant

verb (stubs, stubbing, stubbed)(transitive)

1. to strike (one's toe, foot, etc) painfully against a hard surface
2. (usually followed by out) to extinguish (a cigarette or cigar) by pressing the end against a surface
3. to clear (land) of stubs
4. to dig up (the roots) of (a tree or bush)

Etymology: Old English stubb; related to Old Norse stubbi, Middle Dutch stubbe, Greek stupos stem, stump