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. — Ahha
ruУ этого попкорна несвежий вкус. Странно, когда он был приготовлен. — corvard
The bread is stale.
Хліб черствий. — deniko
ruХлеб чёрствый. — marafon
deDas Brot ist alt. — Esperantostern
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. — marafon
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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