Understanding 'Stuck It Out' and Its Different Meanings

The phrase stuck it out is a common expression in English that can have multiple meanings. This article explores the various contexts and usages of the phrase and its past tense form, helping you to understand its full range of applications.

What is the Meaning of Stuck It Out?

The Past Tense of Stuck

Stuck is often confused with needing an additional ‘-ed’ suffix to form the past tense. However, if you say the phrase “I stuck it out”, it is already in the correct past tense. This confusion may arise because in some English words, a double ‘k’ is dropped when adding the past tense suffix, but not in this instance.

Common errors with past tense include:

Kept inside Stayed in Remained inside Stuck in (incorrect past tense) Stucked into Gathered into Pulled into Stucked in

Perseverance Through Hardships

Stuck it out primarily means to persevere through difficult circumstances over time. This can be seen in various contexts, such as:

Example:

A student faced numerous challenges in college but stuck it out and managed to graduate.

In this case, stuck it out implies that the student showed perseverance and determination despite facing significant obstacles.

Verbal and Metaphorical Usage

To stick out is also a common expression, often used both literally and metaphorically. Here are some examples:

Looking Out of Place or Noticeable

To stick out in this context means to be noticeably different from the surroundings. For example:

Someone dressed in formal wear at a grocery store would stick out like a sore thumb, and afterward, they would be described as having stuck out.

Example:

John tried to become invisible among the college students, but with his long gray hair, trifocal glasses, and skull-topped staff, he couldn’t stick out. Here, the phrase ‘stick out’ conveys that he was noticeable despite his efforts.

Signals and Risk-Taking

There are also more literal and figurative usages of stick out, such as:

Signal: To stick out one’s hand is a signal or greeting. For example: Figurative: To stick out one’s neck means to take a risk. For example:

“Stuck out” Past Tense:

For instance, if a person “stuck out her hand to signal caution”, it means she made a gesture to warn someone. This could be better said as “held out”, which conveys a more casual action. If someone “stuck out their neck to come to your assistance”, it means they put themselves at some level of risk to help you.

Stuck out as the past tense of stuck (to stick out) refers to something being very different from everything around it. For example, someone in a fancy evening gown at a grocery store would certainly stick out and would afterward be described as “having stuck out”.

Key Takeaways

The phrase “stuck it out” conveys the idea of perseverance and determination. It can be used in various contexts, both literally and figuratively, to describe someone’s actions or qualities in the face of difficulties and challenges.

Examples of Usage:

“When everyone else dropped the course, I stuck it out and earned a B—not bad for someone who swam in doubt all semester.” “To stick out your hand” means to give a hand signal or greeting, while “to stick out your neck” means to take a risk. Someone dressed in formal attire at a grocery store stuck out, and afterward, they would be said to “have stuck out”.

If you have further questions or need an in-depth understanding of the phrase, feel welcome to refer to additional resources or consult a language expert.