stake a claim to

stake a claim

To assert one's ownership of or right to something. My great-grandfather staked a claim to this land. You can't have this cookie because someone else already staked a claim to it.
See also: claim, stake
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

stake a claim to someone or something

Fig. to state or record one's claim on someone or something. (Alludes to marking off an area by pounding in wooden stakes.) she staked a claim to Jeff and told all her rivals to stay away. The prospector staked a claim to the gold-rich area.
See also: claim, stake
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

stake (out) a/your ˈclaim to somebody/something

say that you have a special interest in somebody/something, or have a right to own something, especially to warn other people not to take it: Both countries have staked out a claim to the land.If you staked out your claim to some land, you put stakes (= wooden posts) in the ground to mark the limits of land that you claimed was yours.
See also: claim, somebody, something, stake
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • stake a claim
  • stake out (one's) claim
  • stake out (one's) claim on (something)
  • stake out (one's) claim to (something)
  • stake out a claim
  • stake out a claim on (something)
  • stake out a claim to
  • stake out a claim to (something)
  • strive against
  • strive against (something)