Chapter 1636

Stile , n. [OE. stile , AS. stigel a step, a ladder, from st\'c6gan to ascend; akin to OHG. stigila a stile. \'fb164. See Sty , v. i. , and cf. Stair .] 1. A step, or set of steps, for ascending and descending, in passing a fence or wall.

There comes my master . . . over the stile , this way. Shak.

Over this stile in the way to Doubting Castle. Bunyan.

2. (Arch.) One of the upright pieces in a frame; one of the primary members of a frame, into which the secondary members are mortised.

&hand; In an ordinary door the principal upright pieces are called stiles , the subordinate upright pieces mullions , and the crosspieces rails . In wainscoting the principal pieces are sometimes called stiles , even when horizontal.

Hanging stile , Pulley stile . See under Hanging , and Pulley .

Stilet <Xpage=1414>

Sti"let (?) , n. [Written also stilette , and stylet .] 1. A stiletto. [R.]

2. (Surg.) See Stylet , 2.

Stiletto <Xpage=1414>

Sti*let"to (?) , n. ; pl. Stilettos (#) . [It., dim. of stilo a dagger, fr. L. stilus a pointed instrument. See Style for writing, and cf. Stylet .] 1. A kind of dagger with a slender, rounded, and pointed blade.

2. A pointed instrument for making eyelet holes in embroidery.

3. A beard trimmed into a pointed form. [Obs.]

The very quack of fashions, the very he that Wears a stiletto on his chin. Ford.

Stiletto <Xpage=1414>

Sti*let"to , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Stilettoed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Stilettoing (?) .] To stab or kill with a stiletto.

Bacon.

Still <Xpage=1414>

Still (?) , a. [ Compar. Stiller (?) ; superl. Stillest .] [OE. stille , AS. stille ; akin to D. stil , OS. & OHG. stilli , G. still , Dan. stille , Sw. stilla , and to E. stall ; from the idea of coming to a stand, or halt. Cf. Still , adv. ] 1. Motionless; at rest; quiet; as, to stand still ; to lie or sit still . " Still as any stone."

Chaucer.

2. Uttering no sound; silent; as, the audience is still ; the animals are still .

The sea that roared at thy command, At thy command was still . Addison.

3. Not disturbed by noise or agitation; quiet; calm; as, a still evening; a still atmosphere . "When all the woods are still ."

Milton.

4. Comparatively quiet or silent; soft; gentle; low. "A still small voice."

1 Kings xix. 12.

5. Constant; continual. [Obs.]

By still practice learn to know thy meaning. Shak.

6. Not effervescing; not sparkling; as, still wines .

Still life . (Fine Arts) (a) Inanimate objects . (b) (Painting) The class or style of painting which represents inanimate objects, as fruit, flowers, dead game, etc.

Syn. -- Quiet; calm; noiseless; serene; motionless; inert; stagnant.

Still <Xpage=1414>

Still , n. [Cf. G. stille .] 1. Freedom from noise; calm; silence; as, the still of midnight . [Poetic] <-- the still of the night -->

2. A steep hill or ascent. [Obs.]

W. Browne.

Still <Xpage=1414>

Still , adv. [AS. stille quietly. See Still , a. The modern senses come from the idea of stopping and staying still, or motionless.] 1. To this time; until and during the time now present; now no less than before; yet.

It hath been anciently reported, and is still received. Bacon.

2. In the future as now and before.

Hourly joys be still upon you! Shak.

3. In continuation by successive or repeated acts; always; ever; constantly; uniformly.

The desire of fame betrays an ambitious man into indecencies that lessen his reputation; he is still afraid lest any of his actions should be thrown away in private. Addison.

Chemists would be rich if they could still do in great quantities what they have sometimes done in little. Boyle.

4. In an increasing or additional degree; even more; -- much used with comparatives.

The guilt being great, the fear doth still exceed. Shak.

5. Notwithstanding what has been said or done; in spite of what has occured; nevertheless; -- sometimes used as a conjunction. See Synonym of But .

As sunshine, broken in the rill, Though turned astray, is sunshine still . Moore.

6. After that; after what is stated.

In the primitive church, such as by fear being compelled to sacrifice to strange gods, after repented, and kept still the office of preaching the gospel. Whitgift.

Still and anon , at intervals and repeatedly; continually; ever and anon; now and then.

And like the watchful minutes to the hour, Still and anon cheered up the heavy time. Shak.

Still <Xpage=1414>

Still , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Stilled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Stilling .] [AS. stillan , from stille still, quiet, firm. See Still , a. ] 1. To stop, as motion or agitation; to cause to become quiet, or comparatively quiet; to check the agitation of; as, to still the raging sea .

He having a full sway over the water, had power to still and compose it, as well as to move and disturb it. Woodward.

2. To stop, as noise; to silence.

With his name the mothers still their babies. Shak.

3. To appease; to calm; to quiet, as tumult, agitation, or excitement; as, to still the passions .

Shak.

Toil that would, at least, have stilled an unquiet impulse in me. Hawthorne.

Syn. -- To quiet; calm; allay; lull; pacify; appease; subdue; suppress; silence; stop; check; restrain.

<page="1415"> Page 1415

Still <Xpage=1415>

Still (?) , n. [Cf. OE. stillatorie . See Still , v. , to distill.] 1. A vessel, boiler, or copper used in the distillation of liquids; specifically, one used for the distillation of alcoholic liquors; a retort. The name is sometimes applied to the whole apparatus used in in vaporization and condensation.

2. A house where liquors are distilled; a distillery.

Still watcher , a device for indicating the progress of distillation by the density of the liquid given over. Knight.

Still <Xpage=1415>

Still , v. t. [Abbreviated fr. distill .] 1. To cause to fall by drops.

2. To expel spirit from by heat, or to evaporate and condense in a refrigeratory; to distill.

Tusser.

Still <Xpage=1415>

Still , v. i. [L. stillare . Cf. Distill .] To drop, or flow in drops; to distill. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Stillage <Xpage=1415>

Stil"lage (?) , n. (Bleaching) A low stool to keep the goods from touching the floor.

Knight.

Stillatitious <Xpage=1415>

Stil`la*ti"tious (?) , a. [L. stillaticius , fr. stillare to drop, stilla a drop.] Falling in drops; drawn by a still.

Stillatory <Xpage=1415>

Stil"la*to*ry (?) , n. ; pl. -ries (#) . [From Still , for distill . Cf. Still , n. , and Distillatory , a .] 1. An alembic; a vessel for distillation. [R.]

Bacon.

2. A laboratory; a place or room in which distillation is performed. [R.]

Dr. H. More. Sir H. Wotton.

Stillbirth <Xpage=1415>

Still"birth` (?) , n. The birth of a dead fetus.

Stillborn <Xpage=1415>

Still"born` (?) , a. 1. Dead at the birth; as, a stillborn child .

2. Fig.: Abortive; as, a stillborn poem .

Swift.

Still-burn <Xpage=1415>

Still"-burn` (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. still-burnt (?) or Still-burned (<?/) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Still-burning .] To burn in the process of distillation; as, to still-burn brandy .

Still-closing <Xpage=1415>

Still"-clos"ing (?) , a. Ever closing. [Obs.] " Still-clothing waters."

Shak.

Stiller <Xpage=1415>

Still"er (?) , n. One who stills, or quiets.

Stillhouse <Xpage=1415>

Still"house` (?) , n. A house in which distillation is carried on; a distillery.

Still-hunt <Xpage=1415>

Still"-hunt` (?) , n. A hunting for game in a quiet and cautious manner, or under cover; stalking; hence, colloquially, the pursuit of any object quietly and cautiously. -- Still"-hunt`er (#) , n. -- Still"-hunt`ing , n. [U.S.]

Stillicide <Xpage=1415>

Stil"li*cide (?) , n. [L. stillicidium ; stilla a drop + cadere to fall.] A continual falling or succession of drops; rain water falling from the eaves.

Bacon.

Stillicidious <Xpage=1415>

Stil`li*cid"i*ous (?) , a. Falling in drops. [Obs.]

Stilliform <Xpage=1415>

Stil"li*form (?) , a. [L. stilla a drop + -form .] Having the form of a drop.

Owen.

Stilling <Xpage=1415>

Still"ing (?) , n. [Cf. LG. stelling , G. stellen to set, to place.] A stillion. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

Stillion <Xpage=1415>

Stil"lion (?) , n. [See Stilling .] A stand, as for casks or vats in a brewery, or for pottery while drying.

Stillness <Xpage=1415>

Still"ness (?) , n. 1. The quality or state of being still; quietness; silence; calmness; inactivity.

Painting, then, was the art demanded by the modern intellect upon its emergence from the stillness of the Middle Ages. J. A. Symonds.

2. Habitual silence or quiet; taciturnity.

The gravity and stillness of your youth The world hath noted. Shak.

Stillroom <Xpage=1415>

Still"room` (?) , n. 1. A room for distilling.

2. An apartment in a house where liquors, preserves, and the like, are kept. [Eng.]

Floors are rubbed bright, . . . stillroom and kitchen cleared for action. Dickens.

Stillstand <Xpage=1415>

Still"stand` (?) , n. A standstill. [R.]

Shak.

Stilly <Xpage=1415>

Still"y (?) , a. Still; quiet; calm.

The stilly hour when storms are gone. Moore.

Stilly <Xpage=1415>

Stil"ly (?) , adv. In a still manner; quietly; silently; softly.

Dr. H. More.

The hum of either army stilly sounds. Shak.

Stilpnomelane <Xpage=1415>

Stilp*nom"e*lane (?) , n. [Gr. stilpno`s shining + me`las , -anos , black.] (Min.) A black or greenish black mineral occurring in foliated flates, also in velvety bronze-colored incrustations. It is a hydrous silicate of iron and alumina.

Stilt <Xpage=1415>

Stilt (?) , n. [OE. stilte ; akin to Dan. stylte , Sw. stylta , LG. & D. stelt , OHG. stelza , G. stelze , and perh. to E. stout .] 1. A pole, or piece of wood, constructed with a step or loop to raise the foot above the ground in walking. It is sometimes lashed to the leg, and sometimes prolonged upward so as to be steadied by the hand or arm.

Ambition is but avarice on stilts , and masked. Landor.

2. A crutch; also, the handle of a plow. [Prov. Eng.]

Halliwell.

3. (Zo\'94l.) Any species of limicoline birds belonging to Himantopus and allied genera, in which the legs are remarkably long and slender. Called also longshanks , stiltbird , stilt plover , and lawyer .

&hand; The American species ( Himantopus Mexicanus ) is well known. The European and Asiatic stilt ( H. candidus ) is usually white, except the wings and interscapulars, which are greenish black. The white-headed stilt ( H. leucocephalus ) and the banded stilt ( Cladorhynchus pectoralis ) are found in Australia.

Stilt plover (Zo\'94l.) , the stilt. -- Stilt sandpiper (Zo\'94l.) , an American sandpiper ( Micropalama himantopus ) having long legs. The bill is somewhat expanded at the tip.

Stilt <Xpage=1415>

Stilt (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Stilted (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Stilting .] To raise on stilts, or as if on stilts.

Stiltbird <Xpage=1415>

Stilt"bird` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Stilt , n. , 3.

Stilted <Xpage=1415>

Stilt"ed , a. Elevated as if on stilts; hence, pompous; bombastic; as, a stilted style; stilted declamation. <-- also, formal or stiff; -- said of linguistic style -->

Stilted arch (Arch.) , an arch in which the springing line is some distance above the impost, the space between being occupied by a vertical member, molded or ornamented, as a continuation of the archivolt, intrados, etc.

Stiltify <Xpage=1415>

Stilt"i*fy (?) , v. t. [ Stilt + -fy .] To raise upon stilts, or as upon stilts; to stilt.

Stilty <Xpage=1415>

Stilt"y (?) , a. Unreasonably elevated; pompous; stilted; as, a stilty style .

Stime <Xpage=1415>

Stime (?) , n. [Etymology uncertain.] A slight gleam or glimmer; a glimpse. [Prov. Eng.]

Halliwell.

Stimulant <Xpage=1415>

Stim"u*lant (?) , a. [L. stimulans , p.pr.; cf. F. stimulant . See Stimulate .] 1. Serving to stimulate.

2. (Physiol.) Produced increased vital action in the organism, or in any of its parts.

Stimulant <Xpage=1415>

Stim"u*lant , n. [Cf. F. stimulant .] 1. That which stimulates, provokes, or excites.

His feelings had been exasperated by the constant application of stimulants . Macaulay.

2. (Physiol. & Med.) An agent which produces a temporary increase of vital activity in the organism, or in any of its parts; -- sometimes used without qualification to signify an alcoholic beverage used as a stimulant.

Stimulate <Xpage=1415>

Stim"u*late (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Stimulated (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Stimulating .] [L. stimulatus , p.p. of stimulare to prick or goad on, to incite, fr. stimulus a goad. See Stimulus .] 1. To excite as if with a goad; to excite, rouse, or animate, to action or more vigorous exertion by some pungent motive or by persuasion; as, to stimulate one by the hope of reward, or by the prospect of glory .

To excite and stimulate us thereunto. Dr. J. Scott.

2. (Physiol.) To excite; to irritate; especially, to excite the activity of (a nerve or an irritable muscle), as by electricity.

Syn. -- To animate; incite; encourage; impel; urge; instigate; irritate; exasperate; incense.

Stimulation <Xpage=1415>

Stim`u*la"tion (?) , n. [L. stimulatio : cf. F. stimulation .] 1. The act of stimulating, or the state of being stimulated.

2. (Physiol.) The irritating action of various agents (stimuli) on muscles, nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which activity is evoked; especially, the nervous impulse produced by various agents on nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which the part connected with the nerve is thrown into a state of activity; irritation.

Stimulative <Xpage=1415>

Stim"u*la*tive (?) , a. Having the quality of stimulating. -- n. That which stimulates.

Stimulator <Xpage=1415>

Stim"u*la`tor (?) , n. [L.: cf. F. stimulateur .] One who stimulates.

Stimulatress <Xpage=1415>

Stim"u*la`tress (?) , n. A woman who stimulates.

Stimulism <Xpage=1415>

Stim"u*lism (?) , n. (Med.) (a) The theory of medical practice which regarded life as dependent upon stimulation, or excitation, and disease as caused by excess or deficiency in the amount of stimulation. (b) The practice of treating disease by alcoholic stimulants.

Dr. H. Hartshorne.

Stimulus <Xpage=1415>

Stim"u*lus (?) , n. ; pl. Stimuli (#) . [L., for stigmulus , akin to L. instigare to stimulate. See Instigare , Stick , v. t. ] 1. A goad; hence, something that rouses the mind or spirits; an incentive; as, the hope of gain is a powerful stimulus to labor and action .

2. That which excites or produces a temporary increase of vital action, either in the whole organism or in any of its parts; especially (Physiol.) , any substance or agent capable of evoking the activity of a nerve or irritable muscle, or capable of producing an impression upon a sensory organ or more particularly upon its specific end organ.

&hand; Of the stimuli applied to the sensory apparatus, physiologists distinguish two kinds: ( a ) Homologous stimuli , which act only upon the end organ, and for whose action the sense organs are especially adapted, as the rods and cones of the retina for the vibrations of the either. ( b ) Heterologous stimuli , which are mechanical, chemical, electrical, etc., and act upon the nervous elements of the sensory apparatus along their entire course, producing, for example, the flash of light beheld when the eye is struck.

Landois & Stirling.

Sting <Xpage=1415>

Sting (?) , n. [AS. sting a sting. See Sting , v. t. ] 1. (Zo\'94l.) Any sharp organ of offense and defense, especially when connected with a poison gland, and adapted to inflict a wound by piercing; as the caudal sting of a scorpion. The sting of a bee or wasp is a modified ovipositor. The caudal sting, or spine, of a sting ray is a modified dorsal fin ray. The term is sometimes applied to the fang of a serpent. See Illust . of Scorpion .

2. (Bot.) A sharp-pointed hollow hair seated on a gland which secrets an acrid fluid, as in nettles. The points of these hairs usually break off in the wound, and the acrid fluid is pressed into it.

3. Anything that gives acute pain, bodily or mental; as, the stings of remorse; the stings of reproach.

The sting of death is sin. 1 Cor. xv. 56.

4. The thrust of a sting into the flesh; the act of stinging; a wound inflicted by stinging. "The lurking serpent's mortal sting ."

Shak.

5. A goad; incitement.

Shak.

6. The point of an epigram or other sarcastic saying.

Sting moth (Zo\'94l.) , an Australian moth ( Doratifera vulnerans ) whose larva is armed, at each end of the body, with four tubercles bearing powerful stinging organs. -- Sting ray . (Zo\'94l.) See under 6th Ray . -- Sting winkle (Zo\'94l.) , a spinose marine univalve shell of the genus Murex, as the European species ( Murex erinaceus ). See Illust . of Murex .