stud

1.
n. & v.
—n.
1 a large-headed nail, boss, or knob, projecting from a surface esp. for ornament.
2 a double button esp. for use with two buttonholes in a shirt-front.
3 a small object projecting slightly from a road-surface as a marker etc.
4 a rivet or crosspiece in each link of a chain-cable.
5 a a post to which laths are nailed. b US the height of a room as indicated by the length of this.
—v.tr. (studded, studding)
1 set with or as with studs.
2 (as studded adj.) (foll. by with) thickly set or strewn (studded with diamonds).
3 be scattered over or about (a surface).
Etymology: OE studu, stuthu post, prop, rel. to G stuumltzen to prop
2.
n.
1 a a number of horses kept for breeding etc. b a place where these are kept.
2 (in full stud-horse) a stallion.
3 colloq. a young man (esp. one noted for sexual prowess).
4 (in full stud poker) a form of poker with betting after the dealing of successive rounds of cards face up.
Phrases and idioms:
at stud (of a male horse) publicly available for breeding on payment of a fee. stud-book a book containing the pedigrees of horses. stud-farm a place where horses are bred.
Etymology: OE stod f. Gmc: rel. to STAND