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Noun

stale (plural stales)

1. A long, thin handle (of rakes, axes, etc.)
2. (dialectal) The posts and rungs composing a ladder.
3. (botany, obsolete) The stem of a plant.
4. The shaft of an arrow, spear, etc.

Verb

stale (third-person singular simple present stales, present participle staling, simple past and past participle staled)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To make a ladder by joining rungs ("stales") between the posts.

Etymology 3

From Middle English stale, from Old French estal (�place, something placed�) (compare French �tal), from Frankish stal, from Proto-Germanic *stallaz, earlier *sta�laz. Related to stall and stand.

Noun

stale (plural stales)

1. (military, obsolete) A fixed position, particularly a soldier's in a battle-line.
2. (chess, uncommon) A stalemate; a stalemated game.
3. (military, obsolete) An ambush.
4. (obsolete) A band of armed men or hunters.
5. (Scotland, military, obsolete) The main force of an army.

Adjective

stale (not comparable)

1. (chess, obsolete) At a standstill; stalemated.

Verb

stale (third-person singular simple present stales, present participle staling, simple past and past participle staled)

1. (chess, uncommon, transitive) To stalemate.
2. (chess, obsolete, intransitive) To be stalemated.

Etymology 4

Uncertain. Perhaps Old French estaler, related to Middle High German stallen (�to piss�).

Noun

stale (uncountable)

1. (livestock, obsolete) Urine, especially used of horses and cattle.

Verb

stale (third-person singular simple present stales, present participle staling, simple past and past participle staled)

1. (livestock, obsolete, intransitive) To urinate, especially used of horses and cattle.

Etymology 5

Probably from uncommon Anglo-Norman estale (�pigeon used to lure hawks�), ultimately from Proto-Germanic, probably *standan? (�to stand�). Compare Old English st�lhran (�decoy reindeer�) and Northumbrian st�llo (�catching fish�).

Noun

stale (plural stales)

1. (falconry, hunting, obsolete) A live bird to lure birds of prey or others of its kind into a trap.
2. (obsolete) Any lure, particularly in reference to people used as live bait.
3. (crime, obsolete) An accomplice of a thief or criminal acting as bait.
4. (obsolete) a partner whose beloved abandons or torments him in favor of another.
5. (obsolete) A patsy, a pawn, someone used under some false pretext to forward another's (usu. sinister) designs; a stalking horse.
6. (crime, obsolete) A prostitute of the lowest sort; any wanton woman.
7. (hunting, obsolete) Any decoy, either stuffed or manufactured.

Verb

stale (third-person singular simple present stales, present participle staling, simple past and past participle staled)

1. (rare, obsolete, transitive) To serve as a decoy, to lure.