stub

And prickly stubs instead of trees are found.

check stub

Even though the stub is a dummy, it allows us to determine whether the procedure is called at the right time by the program or calling procedure.

Coordinate term: skeleton

Coordinate term: substub

A stub is usually long enough to serve as a quick definition, but too short to provide encyclopedic coverage of a subject (see Figure 4-2).

I doubt not but ye ſhall have more adoe to drive out dulleſt and lazieſt youth, our ſtocks and ſtubbs from the infinite deſire of such a happy nurture, than we have now to hale and drag our choiſeſt and hopefulleſt wits to that aſinine feaſt of ſowthiſtles and brambles[.]