Stake

A stake is a long, pointed object thrust into the ground. Stakes have many applications, such as demarcating a small plot of land, anchoring ropes for a tent or other portable structure, or slowly releasing fertilizer to aid the growth of plants.
In folklore and mythology, a wooden stake, along with a silver bullet, have special powers to kill monsters. See Vampire; Werewolf.
In Mormonism, a stake is an organizational unit made up of several local congregations, led by a Stake President. See Stake (Mormonism).
In Christianity, a stake was a pole to which people accused of heresy or witchcraft were tied and "burned at the stake". See Execution by burning.
In gambling, a stake is the quantity of money or other goods that is risked on the outcome of some specific event.

Stake - Your Art History Reference Guide!