DictionarylodgeStuck in place
verb

lodge

To become or cause to become firmly stuck in place.

A small pebble lodges in the tread of my shoe.

Etymology

Lodge first concerns giving or taking shelter. Something that becomes stuck is figuratively housed in a particular place, which explains this extension to objects embedded or caught there.

More examples

  • A fish bone can lodge in your throat.
  • The impact lodged a shard of glass in the door.
  • Bits of food often get lodged between my teeth.

Forms

lodge · lodges · lodged · lodging

dislodge verb — To remove something firmly stuck in place.

Similar words

stick
Broader; can mean adhering to a surface rather than becoming embedded.
embed
Emphasizes being set deeply into a surrounding material.
wedge
Emphasizes being held tightly in a narrow space.