stake out (something)

1. to claim something belongs to you.

To avoid a long wait to eat lunch, one of you stakes out a table and the other gets the food.

Lars staked out a cot in a third-floor bedroom and tried to make it seem like his own space.

2. to secretly watch a place.

Private detectives staked out their house, went through their garbage, and interviewed their neighbors.

• I could spit!
• I dare say
• identify with
• identify with someone
• identify with something
• I don't need this!
• I dread to think
• if all else fails
• If at first you don't succeed.
• If at first you don't succeed, try, try, and try again.
• if can help it
• If can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
• I feel it in my bones.
• if it ain't broke, don't fix it
• If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
• if it comes to the crunch
• if it weren't for
• if it weren't for someone
• if it weren't for something
• if knows what's good for
• if knows what's good for them
• If looks could kill...
• if memory serves
• If Mohammed will not go to the mountain, the mountain must come to Mohammed.
• if need be