The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Stock \Stock\ (st[o^]k), n. [AS. stocc a stock, trunk, stick;
   akin to D. stok, G. stock, OHG. stoc, Icel. stokkr, Sw.
   stock, Dan. stok, and AS. stycce a piece; cf. Skr. tuj to
   urge, thrust. Cf. Stokker, Stucco, and Tuck a rapier.]
   1. The stem, or main body, of a tree or plant; the fixed,
      strong, firm part; the trunk.
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            Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and
            the stock thereof die in the ground, yet through the
            scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs
            like a plant.                         --Job xiv.
                                                  8,9.
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   2. The stem or branch in which a graft is inserted.
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            The scion overruleth the stock quite. --Bacon.
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   3. A block of wood; something fixed and solid; a pillar; a
      firm support; a post.
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            All our fathers worshiped stocks and stones.
                                                  --Milton.
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            Item, for a stock of brass for the holy water, seven
            shillings; which, by the canon, must be of marble or
            metal, and in no case of brick.       --Fuller.
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   4. Hence, a person who is as dull and lifeless as a stock or
      post; one who has little sense.
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            Let's be no stoics, nor no stocks.    --Shak.
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   5. The principal supporting part; the part in which others
      are inserted, or to which they are attached. Specifically:

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      (a) The wood to which the barrel, lock, etc., of a rifle
          or like firearm are secured; also, a long, rectangular
          piece of wood, which is an important part of several
          forms of gun carriage.
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      (b) The handle or contrivance by which bits are held in
          boring; a bitstock; a brace.
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      (c) (Joinery) The block of wood or metal frame which
          constitutes the body of a plane, and in which the
          plane iron is fitted; a plane stock.
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      (d) (Naut.) The wooden or iron crosspiece to which the
          shank of an anchor is attached. See Illust. of
          Anchor.
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      (e) The support of the block in which an anvil is fixed,
          or of the anvil itself.
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      (f) A handle or wrench forming a holder for the dies for
          cutting screws; a diestock.
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      (g) The part of a tally formerly struck in the exchequer,
          which was delivered to the person who had lent the
          king money on account, as the evidence of
          indebtedness. See Counterfoil. [Eng.]
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   6. The original progenitor; also, the race or line of a
      family; the progenitor of a family and his direct
      descendants; lineage; family.
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            And stand betwixt them made, when, severally,
            All told their stock.                 --Chapman.
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            Thy mother was no goddess, nor thy stock
            From Dardanus.                        --Denham.
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   7. (Finance) Money or capital which an individual or a firm
      employs in business; fund; in the United States, the
      capital of a bank or other company, in the form of
      transferable shares, each of a certain amount; money
      funded in government securities, called also the public
      funds; in the plural, property consisting of shares in
      joint-stock companies, or in the obligations of a
      government for its funded debt; -- so in the United
      States, but in England the latter only are called
      stocks, and the former shares.
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   8. (Bookkeeping) Same as Stock account, below.
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   9. Supply provided; store; accumulation; especially, a
      merchant's or manufacturer's store of goods; as, to lay in
      a stock of provisions.
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            Add to that stock which justly we bestow. --Dryden.
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   10. (Agric.) Domestic animals or beasts collectively, used or
       raised on a farm; as, a stock of cattle or of sheep,
       etc.; -- called also live stock.
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   11. (Card Playing) That portion of a pack of cards not
       distributed to the players at the beginning of certain
       games, as gleek, etc., but which might be drawn from
       afterward as occasion required; a bank.
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             I must buy the stock; send me good cardings.
                                                  --Beau. & Fl.
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   12. A thrust with a rapier; a stoccado. [Obs.]
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   13. [Cf. Stocking.] A covering for the leg, or leg and
       foot; as, upper stocks (breeches); nether stocks
       (stockings). [Obs.]
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             With a linen stock on one leg.       --Shak.
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   14. A kind of stiff, wide band or cravat for the neck; as, a
       silk stock.
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   15. pl. A frame of timber, with holes in which the feet, or
       the feet and hands, of criminals were formerly confined
       by way of punishment.
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             He shall rest in my stocks.          --Piers
                                                  Plowman.
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   16. pl. (Shipbuilding) The frame or timbers on which a ship
       rests while building.
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   17. pl. Red and gray bricks, used for the exterior of walls
       and the front of buildings. [Eng.]
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   18. (Bot.) Any cruciferous plant of the genus Matthiola;
       as, common stock (Matthiola incana) (see
       Gilly-flower); ten-weeks stock (Matthiola annua).
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   19. (Geol.) An irregular metalliferous mass filling a large
       cavity in a rock formation, as a stock of lead ore
       deposited in limestone.
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   20. A race or variety in a species.
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   21. (Biol.) In tectology, an aggregate or colony of persons
       (see Person), as trees, chains of salpae, etc.
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   22. The beater of a fulling mill. --Knight.
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   23. (Cookery) A liquid or jelly containing the juices and
       soluble parts of meat, and certain vegetables, etc.,
       extracted by cooking; -- used in making soup, gravy, etc.
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   24. Raw material; that out of which something is
       manufactured; as, paper stock.
       [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   25. (Soap Making) A plain soap which is made into toilet soap
       by adding perfumery, coloring matter, etc.
       [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   Bit stock. See Bitstock.

   Dead stock (Agric.), the implements of husbandry, and
      produce stored up for use; -- in distinction from live
      stock, or the domestic animals on the farm. See def. 10,
      above.

   Head stock. See Headstock.

   Paper stock, rags and other material of which paper is
      made.

   Stock account (Bookkeeping), an account on a merchant's
      ledger, one side of which shows the original capital, or
      stock, and the additions thereto by accumulation or
      contribution, the other side showing the amounts
      withdrawn.

   Stock car, a railway car for carrying cattle.

   Stock company (Com.), an incorporated company the capital
      of which is represented by marketable shares having a
      certain equal par value.

   Stock duck (Zool.), the mallard.

   Stock exchange.
       (a) The building or place where stocks are bought and
           sold; stock market; hence, transactions of all kinds
           in stocks.
       (b) An association or body of stockbrokers who meet and
           transact business by certain recognized forms,
           regulations, and usages. --Wharton. Brande & C.

   Stock farmer, a farmer who makes it his business to rear
      live stock.

   Stock gillyflower (Bot.), the common stock. See Stock,
      n., 18.

   Stock gold, gold laid up so as to form a stock, or hoard.


   Stock in trade, the goods kept for sale by a shopkeeper;
      the fittings and appliances of a workman. --Simmonds.

   Stock list, a list of stocks, or shares, dealt in, of
      transactions, and of prices.

   Stock lock, a lock inclosed in a wooden case and attached
      to the face of a door.

   Stock market.
       (a) A place where stocks are bought and sold; the stock
           exchange.
       (b) A market for live stock.

   Stock pigeon. (Zool.) Same as Stockdove.

   Stock purse.
       (a) A common purse, as distinguished from a private
           purse.
       (b) (Mil.) Moneys saved out of the expenses of a company
           or regiment, and applied to objects of common
           interest. [Eng.]

   Stock shave, a tool used by blockmakers.

   Stock station, a place or district for rearing stock.
      [Australia] --W. Howitt.

   Stock tackle (Naut.), a tackle used when the anchor is
      hoisted and secured, to keep its stock clear of the ship's
      sides. --Totten.

   Stock taking, an examination and inventory made of goods or
      stock in a shop or warehouse; -- usually made
      periodically.

   Tail stock. See Tailstock.

   To have something on the stock, to be at work at something.


   To take stock, to take account of stock; to make an
      inventory of stock or goods on hand. --Dickens.

   To take stock in.
       (a) To subscribe for, or purchase, shares in a stock
           company.
       (b) To put faith in; to accept as trustworthy; as, to
           take stock in a person's fidelity. [Slang]

   To take stock of, to take account of the stock of; to take
      an inventory of; hence, to ascertain the facts in regard
      to (something). [Eng.]
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            At the outset of any inquiry it is proper to take
            stock of the results obtained by previous explorers
            of the same field.                    --Leslie
                                                  Stephen.
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   Syn: Fund; capital; store; supply; accumulation; hoard;
        provision.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Stock \Stock\, a.
   Used or employed for constant service or application, as if
   constituting a portion of a stock or supply; standard;
   permanent; standing; as, a stock actor; a stock play; a stock
   phrase; a stock response; a stock sermon. "A stock charge
   against Raleigh." --C. Kingsley.
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   Stock company (Theater), a company of actors regularly
      employed at one theater, or permanently acting together in
      various plays under one management.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

stock company
    n 1: a company whose capital is represented by stock
    2: a theatrical company that performs plays from a repertoire
       [syn: stock company, repertory company]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

94 Moby Thesaurus words for "stock company":
   Aktiengesellschaft, accident insurance, acting company, actuary,
   aktiebolag, annuity, assurance, aviation insurance, bail bond,
   body corporate, bond, business, business establishment,
   business life insurance, cartel, cast, cast of characters,
   casualty insurance, certificate of insurance, chamber of commerce,
   characters, chorus, circus troupe, combine, commercial enterprise,
   compagnie, company, concern, conglomerate,
   conglomerate corporation, consolidating company, consortium,
   copartnership, corporate body, corporation, corps de ballet,
   court bond, credit insurance, credit life insurance, deductible,
   diversified corporation, dramatis personae, endowment insurance,
   ensemble, enterprise, family maintenance policy, fidelity bond,
   fidelity insurance, firm, flood insurance, fraternal insurance,
   government insurance, health insurance, holding company, house,
   industrial life insurance, industry, insurance, insurance agent,
   insurance broker, insurance company, insurance man,
   insurance policy, interinsurance, joint-stock association,
   joint-stock company, liability insurance, license bond,
   limited payment insurance, major medical insurance,
   malpractice insurance, marine insurance, mutual company,
   ocean marine insurance, operating company, partnership,
   permit bond, plunderbund, policy, pool, public utility,
   repertory company, robbery insurance, social security,
   stock insurance company, supporting cast, syndicate,
   term insurance, theft insurance, trade association, troupe, trust,
   underwriter, utility