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# stalk

«stalk» in Mova's school dictionary: **the thin main stem of a plant, or the small stem that…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a stalk, stalks); verb (stalk, stalks, stalked, stalking)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A stalk is the thin main stem of a plant, or the small stem that holds a leaf, flower or fruit. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/#m1)

2) To stalk an animal is to follow it slowly and quietly to catch it, as a cat or a lion does. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/#m2)

3) To stalk a person is to follow or watch them again and again in a frightening way; this is wrong and against the law. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/#m3)

4) To stalk off or stalk out is to walk away in a stiff, angry, proud way. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In science «stalk» is a plant part: the stalk carries water up from the roots to the leaves and holds the plant upright. In nature lessons predators «stalk their prey». In safety lessons «stalking» is a serious harm: if someone keeps following you or messaging you when you don't want it, tell a trusted adult. In stories «she stalked out of the room» shows anger. Phrases: «celery stalk», «stalk of corn», «stalk off».

### examples

- Pull the apple off the tree by its stalk. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/#x1)
- The sunflower has a tall green stalk. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/#x2)
- Mum cut the celery into stalks for our snack. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/#x3)
- The cat stalked the bird across the lawn. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/#x4)
- Lions stalk zebras in the long grass. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/#x5)
- He stalked out of the room and slammed the door. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/#x6)
- Stalking someone online is a crime. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/#x7)
- The water travels up the stalk to the flower. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/#x8)
- He rose and stalked to the tent-door. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/#x9)

### note

Past: stalked (the k is said, the l is silent: «stawk»). Do not confuse with «stock» or «stork» (a bird). A stalk (plant) and to stalk (follow) sound the same. «Stem» and «stalk» mean nearly the same for plants.

### In the corpora

- [Jumping spiders have two huge front eyes that see sharply and in colour, and they stalk and pounce instead of using webs.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/38-spiders-scorpions-and-eight-legged-creatures/11/)
- [Rhubarb stalks are safe to eat cooked, but rhubarb leaves are poisonous because they contain a lot of oxalic acid.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/255-plants-deeper-poisonous-and-stinging-plants-and-staying-safe/14/)
- [Fairyflies have feathery wings of a stalk and long hairs and row through the air almost as if it were syrup.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/365-tiny-champions-the-strongest-beetle-the-highest-jumping-flea-and-the-leggiest-millipede/17/)
- [She describes him: round and flat, eyes on stalks, walking sideways, with strong armour on his back.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/91-justso-crab-2-pau-amma-loses-his-shell/1/)
- [When Chloe reaches for her, Duchess flattens her ears and stalks off like a duchess who's been insulted.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/457-the-cat-that-only-likes-dad-and-other-choosy-pets/2/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «stalk» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stalk/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.