stick out
No objectThis verb takes no object at all.
How to say it
Stress the particle, not the verb: stick OUT. Saying “STICK out” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.
Link across the gap. The final /k/ of “stick” moves onto the particle and starts its syllable: “stick out” is said “sti-ckout”. Pausing between the words is what makes phrasal verbs sound recited rather than spoken.
What it means
To protrude, or to be very noticeable.
- “A pen was sticking out of his pocket.”
- “That colour sticks out a mile.”
Similar: protrude, stand out