stake, picket; a school punishment in which a student has to remain standing for some time by a tree or a wall, usually in the corner of the classroom
“« Ce qui est bien, avec la caisse que tu m’as donnée, c’est que, la nuit, ça lui servira de maison. — Bien sûr. Et si tu es gentil, je te donnerai aussi une corde pour l’attacher pendant le jour. Et un piquet. » La proposition parut choquer le petit prince: « L’attacher ? Quelle drôle d’idée ! — Mais si tu ne l’attaches pas, il ira n’importe où, et il se perdra... »” — — The good thing about the box you gave me is that it will serve as a home for my sheep. — Sure. And if you’re nice, I’ll also give you a rope to tie him up during the day. And a stake to tie it to. That proposal seemed to shock the little prince: — Tie him up? What a strange idea! — But if you don’t tie him up, he’ll wander off and get lost...
From the verb piquer (“to prick”).