stick / floor
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stick
A long, thin piece of wood that comes from a tree or branch and is often used as a walking stick, for hiking, or as a tool.
Der alte Mann stützte sich beim Gehen auf einen Stock.
The old man leaned on a stick while walking.
'Der Stock' is a false friend of the English word 'stock'. Depending on context, the German word means 'Gehstock' (walking stick) or 'Stockwerk' (floor/story), but never 'inventory' or 'share/stock'.
Ich brauche einen Stock zum Wandern in den Bergen.
I need a stick for hiking in the mountains.
The two most common meanings, 'Gehstock' (walking stick) and 'Stockwerk' (floor/story), are easy to recognize from context. If people are talking about buildings or apartments, a floor is meant. If it is about walking, hiking, or wood, a stick is meant.
Er wohnt im dritten Stock.
He lives on the third floor.
The word 'Stock' is a common component of compound nouns. Examples are 'Gehstock' (walking stick), 'Wanderstock' (hiking pole), 'Bienenstock' (beehive), or 'Weinstock' (grapevine).
Für die Wanderung packte er seine Wanderstöcke ein.
For the hike, he packed his hiking poles.
With the meaning 'Stockwerk' (floor/story), the preposition is important. 'Im ersten Stock' (on the first floor, dative) describes a location, while 'in den ersten Stock' (to the first floor, accusative) describes movement to that place.
Die Toilette befindet sich im zweiten Stock.
The restroom is located on the second floor.
Floors are always counted with ordinal numbers (first, second, third...). The 'erste Stock' (first floor) is the first upper floor, meaning the floor above the ground floor.
Meine Wohnung liegt im ersten Stock, direkt über dem Erdgeschoss.
My apartment is on the first floor, directly above the ground floor.
prey / loot
'der Stock' and 'die Beute' can be confused because of certain nature and animal contexts, but in the meanings given here they do not mean the same thing. 'der Stock' can mean the home of a bee colony, especially in 'Bienenstock' (beehive). 'die Beute', on the other hand, means an animal that is hunted and eaten, or stolen things after a robbery. So when talking about bees, 'Stock' is appropriate for the place where the colony lives. In its normal meanings, 'Beute' fits better with hunters, predators, or theft.
Der Imker schaut nach, ob im Stock genug Honig ist.
The beekeeper checks whether there is enough honey in the hive.
Der Fuchs trägt seine Beute schnell in den Wald.
The fox quickly carries its prey into the forest.