Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Stale

Stale

(stāl)
,
Noun.
[OE.
stale
,
stele
, AS.
stael
,
stel
; akin to LG. & D.
steel
, G.
stiel
; cf. L.
stilus
stake, stalk, stem, Gr.
στελεόν
a handle, and E.
stall
,
stalk
, n.]
The stock or handle of anything;
as, the
stale
of a rake
.
[Written also
steal
,
stele
, etc.]
But seeing the arrow’s
stale
without, and that the head did go
No further than it might be seen.
Chapman.

Stale

,
Adj.
[Akin to
stale
urine, and to
stall
, n.; probably from Low German or Scandinavian. Cf.
Stale
,
Verb.
I.
]
1.
Vapid or tasteless from age; having lost its life, spirit, and flavor, from being long kept;
as,
stale
beer
.
2.
Not new; not freshly made;
as,
stale
bread
.
3.
Having lost the life or graces of youth; worn out; decayed.
“A stale virgin.”
Spectator.
4.
Worn out by use or familiarity; having lost its novelty and power of pleasing; trite; common.
Swift.
Wit itself, if
stale
is less pleasing.
Grew.
How weary,
stale
flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
Shakespeare
Stale affidavit
(Law)
,
an affidavit held above a year.
Craig.
–
Stale demand
(Law)
,
a claim or demand which has not been pressed or demanded for a long time.

Stale

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Staled
(stāld)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Staling
.]
To make vapid or tasteless; to destroy the life, beauty, or use of; to wear out.
Age can not wither her, nor custom
stale

Her infinite variety.
Shakespeare

Stale

,
Verb.
I.
[Akin to D. & G.
stallen
, Dan.
stalle
, Sw.
stalla
, and E.
stall
a stable. √ 163. See
Stall
,
Noun.
, and cf.
Stale
,
Adj.
]
To make water; to discharge urine; – said especially of horses and cattle.
Hudibras.

Stale

,
Noun.
[See
Stale
,
Adj.
&
Verb.
I.
]
1.
That which is stale or worn out by long keeping, or by use.
[Obs.]
2.
A prostitute.
[Obs.]
Shak.
3.
Urine, esp. that of beasts.
“Stale of horses.”
Shak.

Stale

,
Noun.
[Cf. OF.
estal
place, position, abode, market, F.
étal
a butcher's stall, OHG.
stal
station, place, stable, G.
stall
(see
Stall
,
Noun.
); or from OE.
stale
theft, AS.
stalu
(see
Steal
,
Verb.
T.
).]
1.
Something set, or offered to view, as an allurement to draw others to any place or purpose; a decoy; a stool pigeon.
[Obs.]
Still, as he went, he crafty
stales
did lay.
Spenser.
2.
A stalking-horse.
[Obs.]
B. Jonson.
3.
(Chess)
A stalemate.
[Obs.]
Bacon.
4.
A laughingstock; a dupe.
[Obs.]
Shak.

Webster 1828 Edition

Stale

STALE

,
Adj.
[I do not find this word in the other Teutonic dialects. It is probably from the root of still, G., to set, and equivalent to stagnant.]
1.
Vapid or tasteless from age; having lost its life, spirit and flavor from being long kept; as stale beer.
2.
Having lost the life or graces of youth; worn out; decayed; as a stale virgin.
3.
Worn out by use; trite; common; having lost its novelty and power of pleasing; as a stale remark.

STALE

,
Noun.
[G. See Stall.]
1.
Something set or offered to view as an allurement to draw others to any place or purpose; a decoy; a stool-fowl.
Still as he went, he crafty stales did lay.
A pretense of kindness is the universal stale to all base projects. [In this sense obsolete.]
2.
A prostitute.
3.
Old vapid beer.
4.
A long handle; as the state of a rake.
5.
A word applied to the king in chess when stalled or set; that is, when so situated that he cannot be moved without going into check, by which the game is ended.

STALE

,
Verb.
T.
To make void or useless; to destroy the life, beauty or use of; to wear out.
Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety.

STALE

,
Verb.
I.
[G.] To make water; to discharge urine; as horses and cattle.

STALE

,
Noun.
Urine; used of horses and cattle.

Definition 2024

Ståle

Ståle

See also: stale and stále

Norwegian

Proper noun

Ståle

  1. A male given name

Etymology

Old Norse Stáli, from stál ‎(“steel”).

Similar Results