to stick it up
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Old slang for leaving one's "score" at the tavern to be paid later; a note of it was stuck, or chalked up, at the back of the door.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to stick it up” mean?
Old slang for leaving one's "score" at the tavern to be paid later; a note of it was stuck, or chalked up, at the back of the door.
Is “to stick it up” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.