STAKE Copy link • STAKE 1. s. A pale, palus (general term): sudes (flat and pointed): stipes (round, uncut): vallus (a palisade). To fasten to a stake, palare aliquid; alligare aliquem ad palum (Cic.). To drive a stake through the body, adigere stipitem per medium hominem (Sen., Ep., 14, 4). Fost at which a (real or pretended) malefactor is burnt, *palus (ad quem nocens alligatur igni comburendus); hence, figuratively, for death by fire, as a punishment, poena, qua aliquis igni crematur (as Caes., B.G., 1, 4); sometimes from the context, rogus (funeral pile). To die at the stake, igni necari; flammis circumventum exanimari (voluntarily). The condemned must die at the stake, damnatum paenam sequi oportet, ut igni cremetur. Anything laid down at play, pignus. Anything is at stake, agitur aliquid (e.g., caput, one’s life is at stake; rarely, in this sense, agitur de aliqua re, which = “anything is treated of; “☞ Cortte, Sall., Cat., 52, 10): in discrimine versatur aliquid (anything is in a dangerous position or situation; e.g., salus mea): dimico de aliqua re (I am running the risk of losing anything; e.g., de vita, de fama, dimico; ☞ commentators on Nep., Timoth., 4, 3). Some have their life at stake and others their reputation, alii de vita, alii de gloria in discrimen vocantur. 2. v. To fasten by stakes, palare aliquid. To wager, hazard at play, ponere (cf: Plaut., Curc., 2, 3, 76, pono pallium; ille suum annulum opposuit, staked against it): in medium conferre (Suet., Oct., 71, in singulos talos singulos denarios in medium couferebat, he staked a denarius upon every throw): aliquid in pignus dare. Say what you will stake, dic, quo pignore mecum certes. Hence, figuratively, to hazard, fortunae committere (Cic.): aleam jacere (Suet.).