stale
Something stale; a loaf of bread or the like that is no longer freshSomething stale; a loaf of bread or the like that is no longer fresh.
» This popcorn tastes stale. I wonder when it was popped.
У этого попкорна несвежий вкус. Странно, когда он был приготовлен.
Цей попкорн на смак несвіжий. Цікаво, коли його приготували.
Meaning
19 senses(colloquial)Something stale; a loaf of bread or the like that is no longer fresh.
alter Kanten
A long, thin handle (of rakes, axes, etc.)
(dialectal)One of the posts or uprights of a ladder.
One of the rungs on a ladder.
The shaft of an arrow, spear, etc.
(uncommon)A stalemate; a stalemated game.
(obsolete)The stem of a plant.
(obsolete)A fixed position, particularly a soldier's in a battle-line.
(obsolete)An ambush.
(obsolete)A band of armed men or hunters.
(Scotland, obsolete)The main force of an army.
(obsolete, uncountable)Urine, especially used of horses and cattle.
Examples
47 sentencesThis popcorn tastes stale. I wonder when it was popped.
Цей попкорн на смак несвіжий. Цікаво, коли його приготували.
ruУ этого попкорна несвежий вкус. Странно, когда он был приготовлен.
The bread is stale.
Хліб черствий.
ruХлеб чёрствый.
deDas Brot ist alt.
The place stank of stale beer.
This bread is a bit stale.
All Tom ate was a slice of stale bread.
ruВсё, что Том съел, — это ломтик чёрствого хлеба.
Translations
2 languagesBy meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English stale, from Old French estal (“fixed position, place”), but probably oFrom Middle English stale, from Old French estal (“fixed position, place”), but probably originally from Proto-Germanic *stāną (“to stand”): compare West Flemish stel in the same sense for ‘beer’ and ‘urine’.
From Middle English stale, from Old English stalu, from Proto-Germanic *stal-; compare English stell from this root. The development was paralleled by the ablaut which became English steal, from Middle English stele, from Old English stela, from Proto-Germanic *stel-. Both are from the same Proto-Indo-European root *stel-, *stol- (“to place, establish”), whence also Ancient Greek στελεός (steleós, “handle”). See also English stele.
Noun from Middle English stale, from Anglo-Norman estal (“urine”), from Middle Dutch stal (“urine”). Cognate with Middle Low German stal (“horse urine; bowel movement”). Verb from Middle English stalen, from Old French estaler (“urinate”), related to Middle High German stallen (“to piss”).
From Middle English stale (“bird used as a decoy”), probably from uncommon Anglo-Norman estale (“pigeon used to lure hawks”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic, probably *standaną (“to stand”). Compare Old English stælhran (“decoy reindeer”) and Northumbrian stællo (“catching fish”).
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