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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Stoup, Stop, n.² Also: stoupe, stoupp(e, stowp(e, stoop(e, stope, stoip, stoyp, stoap, stup(e, stuip, stip. [Late ME and e.m.E. stulpe (1439), stowpe (1463, north.), stolpe (1490-1), stoulpe (1530), stoupe (1593, north.), stoope (1600), ON stolpe a post, pillar, MLG, MDu. stûpe a whipping-post, stake.

1. A post or pillar, usu. of wood, chiefly used to support something, also as a barrier, etc. Also in place-names, ? a post or stump, chiefly used as a boundary marker. Cf. also quots. 1648 and 1682 in sense 6.(1) c1420 Wynt. viii 6738.
A stalwart barres maide thaire was Off mekyll bastyn rapis thringin Throw stowpis that rycht deipe ware dungin Wythin the erd 1533 Bell. Livy I 85/32.
To the pillaris of the brig; and becaus the stoupis and pillaris thareof war all of tre [etc.] 1535 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 446. c1575 Balfour Pract. 587.
Gif thair be ony stoupis set under stairis, stoppand the King's calsay 1590–1 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 63.
To … the wrycht … for the stoup of aik to the chymnay 1603 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 8 June.
To build in the loft ane sait … with four stowppis befoir to beir it up with 1611 Old Dundee I 159.
Robert erected ane stoup of timber upon ane stane pillar … and thereupon layit skelffs … for halding … of his gross [pr. groff] geir … [the Council] ordained Robert to remove the stoup of timber as far northward as [etc.] 1614 Edinb. Test. XLVIII 42b.
The mort kist being haillilie coverit and bandit with irne and standing vpone foure stoupis 1633 Misc. Spald. C. II 232.
That thair be ane stoupe set vp vpoun the braid staires of the parliament hous to be ane marche betuixt the said constable and marshall and thair guardes 1646 Peebles Gleanings 254.
To Andro Haldane, for fixing the stoupe quhairon the sune dyal is mounted on the Castell-hill, and for nailling in thairof, 4 s 1648 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 145.
That the said upstanderis be weill barkettit … with thrie strong stowps weill bund below both the lower and mid balkes c1655 Dumfries Doc. (Sel. Doc.) No. 108.
To Agnes Richardsone for ane stouppe to the myllne … To Wm. Irving for ane uther stoupp 1659 Edinb. B. Rec. IX 169.
A strong brander of timber fixt to the ground with strong stowps and naills 1671 Inverness Rec. II 248.
The … shoarmaster to sett good & substantious stoupes about the dock and tua or thrie wther stoupes adjacent to the river 1676 Glasgow Chart. II 186.
That stowpe or pole of the bullworke that stands nearest the shoar 1684 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 112.
The stowps that is sett for holding of the coatches from comeing upon the plain stons(b) 1539–41 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 275.
Slaidderris ledand table and stoppis fra the heicht of the hill to the fut 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 352.
To ane smyth for ane shuit and stopes to the foryet … xx s. 1637–38 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 225.
For ane pice stope to the foirmast(2) 1455 Charter in Irvine Mun. I 145.
Willelmi de Stoupishill 1581 Prot. Bk. G. Fyiff 26b.
At the west ane littill stoyp 1605 Reg. Great S. 596/2.
Ac dictis terris … inter lie stoppis de Cars (Tarf?) vocat. lie chappell-stoppis ex occiden. [etc.]

b. A post of a four-poster bed.(a) 1548–9 Treas. Acc. IX 279.
Welwote … to cover the stouppis of hir bed 1552 Treas. Acc. X 112 (see c below). 1566 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 100.
Four round stoupis of ane bed turnit werk 1590 Mill Mediæv. Plays 199.
For painting of foure stoupis of ane bed 1653 Edinb. Test. LXVII 145.
Ane blew bed with four coveringes with silk freinȝies and the stoupes covered 1658 Boyd Fam. P. No. 236 (27 Feb.).
A sattin matt of red and yellow lyned with taffitie … tua peices for rowing about the stoupis of the best bed 1695 Stitchill Baron Ct. 116.
Four bed stoups a1750 J. Willison The Afflicted Man's Companion 193.
The Angels of God are now waiting at the stoups of this bed(b) 1578 Biggar (1867) 617.
Ane ruiff of ane bed … four stuipis of the same pasmentit with siluer

c. A leg of a chair or table. 1552 Treas. Acc. X 112.
To ane turnour turnand stoupis of beddis and charis in the said castell … iij li. iiij s. 1608 Edinb. Test. XLIV 284.
Ane vther fyne eldroun brod … with turnet stoupis of Norroway tymber 1628–9 Mill Mediæv. Plays 208.
To Maister William Fairle for turning four stoupes to the chyre 1679 J. Barclay Descr. Cath. Ch. (1689) 25.
It's [sc. the chair's] back, and boughs, did such learn'd notions give, It's seat and stoops were so demonstrative

d. ? The posts or base on which a market stall could be erected, hence, the position of a market stall. 1684 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 101.
The burgar fleshers of the mutton mercate to be placed begineing on the right hand of the entry of the said mercate whyll these thrie places and stoups be filled

e. fig. or in fig. context. A person or thing that supports (one), a supporter, a pillar (of authority, etc.), an adherent or ally. 1558-66 Knox II 411.
Ledingtoune and the Maister of Maxwell [were] that nycht the two stoupeis of hir chair 1578 Calderwood III 421.
The three estats, the onlie stowpes and pillers of the crowne a1585 Maitl. Q. 147/152.
Ȝour hous is build on Him … So now I houp His … halie hand Sall found and fix it faster on ane fit Nor quhen it semed be stranger stouppis to stand c1590 J. Stewart 177/7.
Freindis tuo, quhois nature dois aggrie, Ar lyk vyn branchis linkit growand greine About the stoupis of that kyndlie trie 1608 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I 123.
Twa stronge and stable stoups of your hyness throne 1608 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 146.
Ȝour maiesties constancie and fauour, quhilk is the stoup of my repos a1634 Forbes Rec. 350.
The cheiff men and principall stoupes, both of Kirk and Commonwealth 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 178.
Let us pull up the stakes and stoups of our tent

2. The posts or supporting framework of a clock movement. 1542 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 572.
Four stopis off the ald knok, five quhelis, [etc.] 1706 Stirling B. Rec. II 107.
Duncan only receaved ane part of the said old clock … and as yet wantis six stoupis and some runneris [or] … at least six stone of yrone

3. Chiefly a pillar of coal left as a support for the roof in a mine, also ? a prop built to fulfil the same purpose. 1532 Acta Conc. & Sess. (St. S.) 150.
[The pursuer alleged that there was much] mare cole to wyn in the said colepot by the crop and stowpis of the samin 1672 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 21 Sept.
For turning stoop & upsett in the south syd of Combe 1675 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 19 June.
For biging a stoup to Wm. Furdir for air to the smyth for rowing of the leauel 1680 Fawside Coal Compt 58.
For redeing the stoupes 13 s. 4 d. 1683 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 30 June.
Reding the splente coall stup 1684 Fawside Coal Compt 123.
To the coallheuers for biging stips £2

4. A supporting member or upright (of a creel), a piece of wood suitable for this purpose. 1669 Philorth Baron Ct. II 43.
Of creill stoups 64 made in creills 42 and in nailes to couples 2 and to help the rest of the creilles 8 and to be beatting tynes 12

b. The uprights of a ladder. 1600 Acts IV 204/1.
They raschit at the dure with the ledder and the stoippis of the ledder brak

5. Ferry (bait) stowp, a post to which something might be attached or a marker of a position. 1577 Glasgow B. Rec. (MC) 67.
Or the cuming of his bark to the port, being liand at the fery stowp 1603 Lanark B. Rec. 113.
The gait that passis … direct southe to the bait stoup of the said watter of Clyde

b. A post to which a wrongdoer might be attached for punishment; the stake at which such a person was burnt; a post used to restrain a prisoner. 1558–9 Edinb. Old Acc. I 279, 280.
Item for x faddom cordis quhen Henerie Wynd wyf wes brint … For ane stup to bind hir at … for twa rauchters to fessing the stoupe 1563 Digest Justiciary Proc. D 57.
He … suld be had to the mercat croce … and thair wpoune ane skaffald at ane stoupe his rycht hand to be strikin fra his bodie 1573 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 4.
[The treasurer] to set vp ane stoup in the fische-mercat for joggis 1590–1 Reg. Privy C. IV 579.
He detenit him as captive and prisonair, fetterit and bound to ane stoup with ane wicht bow string 1591 Cal. Sc. P. X 510.
Lett Effie Makkaillen see the stoup tua or three dayes, and upon the suddain staye her in hope of confession 1601 Crim. Trials II 350.
Defaming of his Maiestie in taking of his portratour and … setting thairof to the stowpis and vpberaris of the gibbet, preissing to hing vp the samyn thairvpoune 1629 Black Orkn. & Shetl. Folklore 111.
The judge … ordaines the pannell to be … convoyed to the place of executioun with hir hands bund behind hir bak and worriet at ane stoup to the dead and brunt in assis

6. One of a number of posts around which a horse race is run. Also the starting stowp. b. fig. A turning point (in one's life). 1648 Peebles B. Rec. I 382.
Lord Ramsay … haveing with ane gray stoned young hors win the silver bell of Peblis, by running thryce about the stowpes of Whythauch 1660–1 Peebles B. Rec. II 201.
Fowr stowps to the mure wher the race hors did run, 16 s. 1665 Edinb. B. Rec. X 4.
There is two cups in the yeare to be run for about the stowps of Leith 1665 Edinb. B. Rec. X 5.
Eache horse that runs is to be led out to the starting stowp one hours space before low watter 1682 Peebles B. Rec. II 102.
To sett the wholl commoun grass … as follows, … fra the Stoups to the Whythauch march, … and fra the Stoops upward to the loan 1683 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 2 June.
The counsell … ordains ane silver cup … to be run at, … from the west port of Haddingtoun to Samuelstoun Loanhead, about the stoap to be put up there 1706 Stirling B. Rec. II 108.
To sight the hieway where the toune race is to be run, and cause clear and dight the same and ordour the getting up of the stoupe quhair the horses are to turneb. 1660–5 W. Guthrie Sermons xiii.
Some day … he thinks there is a possibility that I am wrong. Now this is the first stoop or goal he turns. … The next stoop that he comes to, he says verily [etc.] … At the next stoop he turns [etc.]