grubstake

plural grubstakes · alternative grub-stake

1. businessMoney, materials, tools, food etc. provided to a prospector in return for a share in future profits.

   I've been through hell. The other three are all at work and healthy, getting grub-stake to prospect up White River this winter.

   1918, Jack London, Like Argus of the Ancient Times

2. businessAn amount of money advanced to someone starting a business in return for a share of the future profits.
3. Money, necessities stockpiled to sustain an effort for a period of time.

   The resulting income, the firm hopes, will provide it with the grubstake it needs to move on to the big prize: titanium.

   2013, The Economist, Manufacturing metals: a tantalizing prospect

   2 more examples

   No one however should go to this country intending to mine without taking with him a year's supplies commonly known as a grub stake or its money equivalent about $1,000.

   1903, U.S. Geological Survey professional paper, page 35

   However, each of these words might, on occasion, be used in a different sense, [...], "grub-stake" to denote one's food supply, regardless of how obtained.

   1936, Philip Ashton Rollins, The Cow Boy: An Unconventional History of Civilization on the Old-time, page 34

present singular third person grubstakes · participle present grubstaking · participle past grubstaked · past grubstaked · alternative grub-stake

1. transitiveTo supply such funds to.

   "Nobody grub-stakes me," was the answer. "I stake myself, and when I make a killing it's sure all mine. [...] "

   1910, Jack London, Burning Daylight, part 1 chapter 3