Stock (disambiguation) facts for kids

A stock is like a small piece of ownership in a company. When you own a stock, you own a tiny part of that company. This means you can sometimes get a share of the company's profits, and you might even get to vote on some important decisions. People buy stocks hoping the company will do well, and their small piece of ownership will become more valuable.

Stock as Supplies and Inventory

The word "stock" can also mean a collection of things that are kept for future use. Think of it as a supply or a store of items.

Animals and Food

• Livestock: These are animals like cows, sheep, or chickens that are kept on a farm for food or other products.
• Stock (food): In cooking, "stock" is a flavorful liquid made by simmering bones, vegetables, and herbs. It's used as a base for soups, sauces, and stews.

Goods and Materials

• Inventory: This is a business term for all the finished products a company has ready to sell, or even the raw materials they have stored away.
• Base Material: In building or crafting, "stock" can refer to the main material you're working with, like a piece of wood for woodworking or a metal bar for welding.

Creative and Digital Stock

• Stock Media: This is a collection of ready-to-use materials that people can use in their own projects, often for a fee.
  • Stock footage: Video clips that can be used in films or commercials.
  • Stock photography: Photos that can be used in websites, ads, or books.
  • Stock sound effects: Sounds like footsteps or car horns that can be added to videos or games.
  • Clipart: Simple drawings or images that can be used in documents or presentations.
  • 3D Design Packs: Collections of digital models or textures for computer graphics programs.

Other Types of Stock

• Rolling stock: This refers to all the vehicles that run on a railway, like trains, carriages, and wagons.
• Stock (cards): In many card games, the "stock" is the pile of cards that haven't been dealt yet, from which players draw more cards.

Stock as an Origin

Sometimes, "stock" can mean the original source or family from which something else comes.

• Rootstock: In gardening, this is the lower part of a plant (like a stump or root system) onto which another plant is grafted to grow.
• Linguistic Stock: This refers to a group of languages that are related because they all came from a common, older language.

Places and Things Named Stock

The word "Stock" or "Stocks" can also be a name for places or specific items.

• Stock, Essex: This is a small village located in the county of Essex, England.
• Stocks House: A country house in Aldbury, Hertfordshire, famous for being on the album cover of the band Oasis' album Be Here Now.
• Matthiola incana: This is the scientific name for a beautiful flower commonly known as "stock."
• STOCK (music): This is the name of an album by the Japanese singer Akina Nakamori.

Other Meanings of Stock

The word "stock" has even more uses!

• Windmill Parts: The strong wooden arms that hold the sails of a Windmill are called "stocks."
• Historical Clothing: A "stock" was a wide necktie that was very popular in the 18th century. Today, you might still see it as part of formal wear for horse riding competitions.
• Stocks (Punishment Device): In the past, "stocks" were wooden frames with holes for a person's feet (and sometimes hands) that were used for public punishment and humiliation.
• Stock (firearm): This is the part of a firearm that rests against your shoulder when you hold it.
• Stock (geology): In geology, a "stock" is a medium-sized body of igneous rock that has pushed its way up through other rocks underground. It's smaller than a batholith.
• Fish stocks: This term refers to a group of fish of the same type living in a specific area. Fishery managers study fish stocks to make sure there are enough fish for the future.

Images for kids

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  A friendly robot