'stick out' - hold firm (i.e resist paying) 'struck' - struck a deal (i.e. agreed to pay up)

Here are suitable synonyms for "stick out" and "struck" in this context: * Stick out: hold firm, resist, or stand his ground
("...he would have clearly liked to resist/hold firm...") * Struck: agreed, yielded, or came to terms
("...and at last he agreed/yielded..."). These choices align with the negotiation and eventual compromise described in the excerpt.

It's not very clear - it uses a lot of slang - but here's my best guess on what it means and how these parts can be reworded: he would have clearly liked to stick out = he would have clearly liked to avoid paying = he would have clearly liked to hold out = he would have clearly liked to hold tight = he would have clearly liked to resist temptation = he would have clearly liked to stick to his guns and at last he struck = and at last he decided to pay = and at last he bit = and at last he took the bait = and at last he gave in = and at last he caved in

Stuck out could be replaced by held out I think

Thank you all! Very helpful answers! 😃