stake out
The phrase "stake out" is versatile, commonly used in law enforcement for surveillance and in contexts involving marking territory or asserting a claim.
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Definition
B2Law Enforcement
(informal, police)To secretly watch a place or person for an extended period to gather information.
Example
- The detectives decided to stake out the suspect's house overnight.
- They had been staking out the warehouse for weeks, waiting for the right moment to strike.
B2Property and Territory
(general)To mark the boundaries of an area, often using physical markers.
Example
- They staked out the land to prepare for the construction project.
- The surveyor staked out the property lines to avoid disputes.
B2General Use
(metaphorical)To clearly declare a position or claim.
Example
- The politician staked out a strong position on environmental issues.
- She staked out her claim to the leadership role in the project.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "stake out":
camp outscout outtake outmark outset out one's stallspec outset outkeep a lookoutstop out