Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913 + 1828)

Page 1413

Stew

Stew (?), v. i. To be seethed or cooked in a slow, gentle manner, or in heat and moisture.

Stew

Stew, n. [OE. stue, stuwe, OF. estuve. See Stew, v. t.]

1. A place of stewing or seething; a place where hot bathes are furnished; a hothouse. [Obs.]

As burning ætna from his boiling stew Doth belch out flames. Spenser.

The Lydians were inhibited by Cyrus to use any armor, and give themselves to baths and stews. Abp. Abbot.

2. A brothel; -- usually in the plural. Bacon. South.

There be that hate harlots, and never were at the stews. Aschman.

3. A prostitute. [Obs.] Sir A. Weldon.

4. A dish prepared by stewing; as, a stewof pigeons.

5. A state of agitating excitement; a state of worry; confusion; as, to be in a stew. [Colloq.]

Steward

Stew"ard (?), n. [OE. stiward, AS. stīweard, stigweard, literally, a sty ward; stigu sty + weard warden, guardian, -- his first duty having been probably to attend to the domestic animals. √164. See Sty pen for swine, Ward.]

1. A man employed in a large family, or on a large estate, to manage the domestic concerns, supervise other servants, collect the rents or income, keep accounts, and the like.

Worthy to be stewards of rent and land. Chaucer.

They came near to the steward of Joseph's house. Gen. xliii. 19.

As good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Pet. iv. 10.

2. A person employed in a hotel, or a club, or on board a ship, to provide for the table, superintend the culinary affairs, etc. In naval vessels, the captain's steward, wardroom steward, steerage steward, warrant officers steward, etc., are petty officers who provide for the messes under their charge.

3. A fiscal agent of certain bodies; as, a steward in a Methodist church.

4. In some colleges, an officer who provides food for the students and superintends the kitchen; also, an officer who attends to the accounts of the students.

5. In Scotland, a magistrate appointed by the crown to exercise jurisdiction over royal lands. Erskine. Lord high steward, formerly, the first officer of the crown; afterward, an officer occasionally appointed, as for a coronation, or upon the trial of a peer. [Eng.]

Steward

Stew"ard, v. t. To manage as a steward. [Obs.]

Stewardess

Stew"ard*ess, n. A female steward; specifically, a woman employed in passenger vessels to attend to the wants of female passengers.

Stewardly

Stew"ard*ly, adv. In a manner, or with the care, of a steward. [R.]

To be stewardly dispensed, not wastefully spent. Tooker.

Stewardship

Stew"ard*ship, n. The office of a steward. Shak.

Stewartry

Stew"art*ry (?), n.

1. An overseer or superintendent. [R.] The stewartry of provisions." Tooke.

2. The office of a steward; stewardship. [R.] Byron.

3. In Scotland, the jurisdiction of a steward; also, the lands under such jurisdiction.

Stewish

Stew"ish, a. Suiting a stew, or brothel. Bp. Hall.

Stewpan

Stew"pan` (?), n. A pan used for stewing.

Stewpot

Stew"pot` (?), n. A pot used for stewing.

Stey

Stey (?), n. See Stee.

Sthenic

Sthen"ic (?), a. [Gr. strength: cf. F. sthénique.] (Med.) Strong; active; -- said especially of morbid states attended with excessive action of the heart and blood vessels, and characterized by strength and activity of the muscular and nervous system; as, a sthenic fever. Sthenic theory. See Stimulism (a).

Stiacciato

Sti*ac*cia"to (?), n. [It., crushed, flattened.] (Sculp.) The lowest relief, -- often used in Italian sculpture of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Stian

Sti"an (?), n. A sty on the eye. See Styan.

Stibborn

Stib"born (?), a. Stubborn. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Stibial

Stib"i*al (?), a. [See Stibium.] Like, or having the qualities of, antimony; antimonial.

Stibialism

Stib"i*al*ism (?), n. (Med.) Antimonial intoxication or poisoning. Dunglison.

Stibiated

Stib"i*a`ted (?), a. [NL. stibiatus, from L. stibium antimony.] (Med. Chem.) Combined or impregnated with antimony (stibium). Stibiated tartar. See Tartar emetic, under Tartar.

Stibic

Stib"ic (?), a. (Chem.) Antimonic; -- used with reference to certain compounds of antimony.

Stibiconite

Stib"i*co*nite (?), n. (Min.) A native oxide of antimony occurring in masses of a yellow color.

Stibine

Stib"ine (?), n. (Chem.) Antimony hydride, or hydrogen antimonide, a colorless gas produced by the action of nascent hydrogen on antimony. It has a characteristic odor and burns with a characteristic greenish flame. Formerly called also antimoniureted hydrogen.

Stibious

Stib"i*ous (?), a. (Chem.) Antimonious. [R.]

Stibium

Stib"i*um (?), n. [L. stibium, stibi, Gr. , .]

1. (Chem.) The technical name of antimony.

2. (Min.) Stibnite. [Obs.]

Stibnite

Stib"nite (?), n. (Min.) A mineral of a lead-gray color and brilliant metallic luster, occurring in prismatic crystals; sulphide of antimony; -- called also antimony glance, and gray antimony.

Stibonium

Sti*bo"ni*um (?), n. (Chem.) The hypothetical radical SbH4, analogous to ammonium; -- called also antimonium.

Sticcado

Stic*ca"do (?), n. [Cf. It. steccato a palisade.] (Mus.) An instrument consisting of small bars of wood, flat at the bottom and rounded at the top, and resting on the edges of a kind of open box. They are unequal in size, gradually increasing from the smallest to the largest, and are tuned to the diatonic scale. The tones are produced by striking the pieces of wood with hard balls attached to flexible sticks.

Stich

Stich (?), n. [Gr. sti`chos a row, line, akin to to go, march, E. sty, v.i.]

1. A verse, of whatever measure or number of feet.

2. A line in the Scriptures; specifically (Hebrew Scriptures), one of the rhythmic lines in the poetical books and passages of the Old Treatment, as written in the oldest Hebrew manuscripts and in the Revised Version of the English Bible.

3. A row, line, or rank of trees.

Stichic

Stich"ic (?), a. [Gr. stichiko`s.] Of or pertaining to stichs, or lines; consisting of stichs, or lines. [R.]

Stichidium

Sti*chid"i*um (?), n.; pl. Stichida (#). [NL., fr. Gr. , dim. of a row.] (Bot.) A special podlike or fusiform branch containing tetraspores. It is found in certain red algæ.

Stichomancy

Stich"o*man`cy (?), n. [Gr. a line + -mancy.] Divination by lines, or passages of books, taken at hazard.

Stichometrical

Stich`o*met"ric*al (?), a. Of or pertaining to stichometry; characterized by stichs, or lines.

Stichometry

Stich*om"e*try (?), n. [Gr. a line + -metry.]

1. Measurement of books by the number of lines which they contain.

2. Division of the text of a book into lines; especially, the division of the text of books into lines accommodated to the sense, -- a method of writing manuscripts used before punctuation was adopted.

Stichwort

Stich"wort` (?), n. (Bot.) A kind of chickweed (Stellaria Holostea). [Written also stitchwort.]

Stick

Stick (?), n. [OE. sticke, AS. sticca; akin to stician to stab, prick, pierce, G. stecken a stick, staff, OHG. steccho, Icel. stik a stick. See Stick, v. t..]

1. A small shoot, or branch, separated, as by a cutting, from a tree or shrub; also, any stem or branch of a tree, of any size, cut for fuel or timber.

Withered sticks to gather, which might serve Against a winter's day. Milton.

2. Any long and comparatively slender piece of wood, whether in natural form or shaped with tools; a rod; a wand; a staff; as, the stick of a rocket; a walking stick.

3. Anything shaped like a stick; as, a stick of wax.

4. A derogatory expression for a person; one who is inert or stupid; as, an odd stick; a poor stick. [Colloq.]

5. (Print.) A composing stick. See under Composing. It is usually a frame of metal, but for posters, handbills, etc., one made of wood is used.

6. A thrust with a pointed instrument; a stab. A stick of eels, twenty-five eels. [Prov. Eng.] -- Stick chimney, a chimney made of sticks laid crosswise, and cemented with clay or mud, as in some log houses. [U.S.] -- Stick insect, (Zoöl.), any one of various species of wingless orthopterous insects of the family Phasmidæ, which have a long round body, resembling a stick in form and color, and long legs, which are often held rigidly in such positions as to make them resemble small twigs. They thus imitate the branches and twigs of the trees on which they live. The common American species is Diapheromera femorata. Some of the Asiatic species are more than a foot long. -- To cut one's stick, ∨ To cut stick, to run away. [Slang] De Quincey.

Stick

Stick, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stuck (?) (Obs. Sticked ()); p. pr. & vb. n. Sticking.] [OE. stikien, v.t. & i., combined with steken, whence E. stuck), AS. stician, v.t. & i., and (assumed) stecan, v.t.; akin to OFries. steka, OS. stekan, OHG. stehhan, G. stechen, and to Gr. to prick, Skr. tij to be sharp. Cf. Distinguish, Etiquette, Extinct, Instigate, Instinct, Prestige, Stake, Steak, Stick, n., Stigma, Stimulate, Sting, Stitch in sewing, Style for or in writing.]

1. To penetrate with a pointed instrument; to pierce; to stab; hence, to kill by piercing; as, to stick a beast.

And sticked him with bodkins anon. Chaucer.

It was a shame . . . to stick him under the other gentleman's arm while he was redding the fray. Sir W. Scott.

2. To cause to penetrate; to push, thrust, or drive, so as to pierce; as, to stick a needle into one's finger.

Thou stickest a dagger in me. Shak.

3. To fasten, attach, or cause to remain, by thrusting in; hence, also, to adorn or deck with things fastened on as by piercing; as, to stick a pin on the sleeve.

My shroud of white, stuck all with yew. Shak.

The points of spears are stuck within the shield. Dryden.

4. To set; to fix in; as, to stick card teeth.

5. To set with something pointed; as, to stick cards.

6. To fix on a pointed instrument; to impale; as, to stick an apple on a fork.

7. To attach by causing to adhere to the surface; as, to stick on a plaster; to stick a stamp on an envelope; also, to attach in any manner.

8. (Print.) To compose; to set, or arrange, in a composing stick; as, to stick type. [Cant]

9. (Joinery) To run or plane (moldings) in a machine, in contradistinction to working them by hand. Such moldings are said to be stuck.

10. To cause to stick; to bring to a stand; to pose; to puzzle; as, to stick one with a hard problem. [Colloq.]

11. To impose upon; to compel to pay; sometimes, to cheat. [Slang] To stick out, to cause to project or protrude; to render prominent.

Stick

Stick (?), v. i.

1. To adhere; as, glue sticks to the fingers; paste sticks to the wall.

The green caterpillar breedeth in the inward parts of roses not blown, where the dew sticketh. Bacon.

2. To remain where placed; to be fixed; to hold fast to any position so as to be moved with difficulty; to cling; to abide; to cleave; to be united closely.

A friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Prov. xviii. 24.

I am a kind of bur; I shall stick. Shak.

If on your fame our sex a bolt has thrown, 'T will ever stick through malice of your own. Young.

3. To be prevented from going farther; to stop by reason of some obstacle; to be stayed.

I had most need of blessing, and Amen" Stuck in my throat. Shak.

The trembling weapon passed Through nine bull hides, . . . and stuck within the last. Dryden.

4. To be embarrassed or puzzled; to hesitate; to be deterred, as by scruples; to scruple; -- often with at.

They will stick long at part of a demonstration for want of perceiving the connection of two ideas. Locke.

Some stick not to say, that the parson and attorney forged a will. Arbuthnot.

5. To cause difficulties, scruples, or hesitation.

This is the difficulty that sticks with the most reasonable. Swift.

To stick by. (a) To adhere closely to; to be firm in supporting. We are your only friends; stick by us, and we will stick by you." Davenant. (b) To be troublesome by adhering. I am satisfied to trifle away my time, rather than let it stick by me." Pope. -- To stick out. (a) To project; to be prominent. His bones that were not seen stick out." Job xxxiii. 21. (b) To persevere in a purpose; to hold out; as, the garrison stuck out until relieved. [Colloq.]<-- also v.i. to stick it out. --> -- To stick to, to be persevering in holding to; as, to stick to a party or cause. The advantage will be on our side if we stick to its essentials." Addison. -- To stick up, to stand erect; as, his hair sticks up. -- To stick up for, to assert and defend; as, to stick up for one's rights or for a friend. [Colloq.] -- To stick upon, to dwell upon; not to forsake. If the matter be knotty, the mind must stop and buckle to it, and stick upon it with labor and thought." Locke.
Sticked
Stick"ed (?), obs. imp. of Stick. Stuck.
And in the sand her ship sticked so fast. Chaucer.

They sticked not to give their bodies to be burnt. Sir T. Browne.

Sticker
Stick"er (?), n.
1. One who, or that which, sticks; as, a bill sticker.
2. That which causes one to stick; that which puzzles or poses. [Colloq.] Tackeray.
3. (Mus.) In the organ, a small wooden rod which connects (in part) a key and a pallet, so as to communicate motion by pushing.
4. Same as Paster, 2. [Political Cant, U.S.]
Stickful
Stick"ful (?), n.; pl. Stickfuls (). (Print.) As much set type as fills a composing stick.
Stickiness
Stick"i*ness (?), n. The quality of being sticky; as, the stickiness of glue or paste.
Sticking
Stick"ing, a. & n. from Stick, v. Sticking piece, a piece of beef cut from the neck. [Eng.] -- Sticking place, the place where a thing sticks, or remains fast; sticking point.
But screw your courage to the sticking place, And we'll not fail. Shak.
-- Sticking plaster, an adhesive plaster for closing wounds, and for similar uses. -- Sticking point. Same as Sticking place, above.
Stickit
Stick"it (?), a. Stuck; spoiled in making. [Scot.] Stickit minister, a candidate for the clerical office who fails, disqualified by incompetency or immorality.
Stick-lac
Stick"-lac` (?), n. See the Note under Lac.
Stickle
Stic"kle (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Stickled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Stickling.] [Probably fr. OE. stightlen, stitlen, to dispose, arrange, govern, freq. of stihten, AS. stihtan: cf. G. stiften to found, to establish.]
1. To separate combatants by intervening. [Obs.]
When he [the angel] sees half of the Christians killed, and the rest in a fair way of being routed, he stickles betwixt the remainder of God's host and the race of fiends. Dryden.

2. To contend, contest, or altercate, esp. in a pertinacious manner on insufficient grounds.
Fortune, as she 's wont, turned fickle, And for the foe began to stickle. Hudibras.

While for paltry punk they roar and stickle. Dryden.

The obstinacy with which he stickles for the wrong. Hazlitt.

3. To play fast and loose; to pass from one side to the other; to trim.
Stickle
Stic"kle, v. t.
1. To separate, as combatants; hence, to quiet, to appease, as disputants. [Obs.]
Which [question] violently they pursue, Nor stickled would they be. Drayton.

2. To intervene in; to stop, or put an end to, by intervening; hence, to arbitrate. [Obs.]
They ran to him, and, pulling him back by force, stickled that unnatural fray. Sir P. Sidney.

Stickle
Stic"kle, n. [Cf. stick, v. t. & i.] A shallow rapid in a river; also, the current below a waterfall. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
Patient anglers, standing all the day Near to some shallow stickle or deep bay. W. Browne.

Stickle-back
Stic"kle-back` (?), n. [OE. & Prov E. stickle a prickle, spine, sting (AS. sticel) + back. See Stick, v. t., and cf. Banstickle.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of small fishes of the genus Gasterosteus and allied genera. The back is armed with two or more sharp spines. They inhabit both salt and brackish water, and construct curious nests. Called also sticklebag, sharpling, and prickleback.