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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.

Stel(l, Stal(l, v. Also: steil(l, steall, stail(l, sta(i)le, still, styl(l. [ME and e.m.E. stall (c1315), stalle (14th c.), stal, stol (c1460), stale (c1470), staul(l (1516), OF estaler to halt, esp. to take position for combat (12th c. in Larousse), to assign a place (1190-1300 in Wartburg), estaller to install in a stall (15th c. in Wartburg), also early ME stold, istald (p.t. and p.p., Ancr. R.), to set (an example), establish (a law), e.m.E. stell (1598), steel (Shakespeare) to portray, delineate, OE stellan, stiellan, styllan, MDu. stellen, both strands of derivation ultim. f. Teut. *stallo- place. Also in the later dial. Cf. Stal(l n., Stal(e n.¹ and Stell n.¹

1. To put (an animal) in a stall.(a) 1456 Acts II 47/1.
The schirref sulde haif bot the best ox or kow or vnriddyne hors quhilkis ar stallit and brocht to sell c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 126/6.
Suppois I war ane ald ȝaid aver I wald at Ȝoull be housit and stald(b) 1597–8 Reg. Privy C. V 442.
Eftir thay had stellit thair horssis at the gudewyffe of Knokdairis yettis in Mayboill, thay convoyed thameselffis secreitlie within [etc.]

2. To put or fix in place; to install; to station, place or position (persons or things). Also fig.(a) c1475 Wall. iv 430.
Fast on to Tay his buschement can he draw In a dern woode thai stellit thaim full law c1475 Wall. vii 868.
Heich in Cragmor he maid it [sc. a severed head] for to stand, Steild on a stayne for honour off Irland c1475 Wall. ix 833.
He gert thaim … a stark barres mak, … A full gret strenth, quhar thai purpost to bid Stellyt thaim fast till treis that growand was 16.. Hist. Kennedy 36.
The lairdis of Bargany … com to the grund and steillit thame selffis in the ȝardis quhair the cornis stuid in sic sort that the sam was onpossabill that my lord suld gett the turne done(b) 1513 Doug. x iv 124.
In hir forestam was the monstre stallyt [: callyt] c1575 Balfour Pract. 620.
That all the gudis be keipt stallit and stowit as thay sould be, befoir thay pass out of the haven 1602 Glasgow Merchants House 16.
Poor merchants … to be stallit in the almous hous … in the Briggait 1632 Lithgow Trav. vi 189.
Where kings were stall'd, disthron'd … and crown'dfig. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 170.
Wele maistow be a wrechit man [y]callit … has all thing within thy hert[e] stallit That may thy ȝouth oppressen c1590 Fowler I 209/9.
And thow, fair dame, on quhome the heavens hes steld Attanis all that which sondrie hes in part 1679 J. Somerville Mem. I 164.
He was weill enough stailed in his majesties favour

b. specif. To fix in position, install, set up (artillery).(a) 1460 Hay Alex. 15031.
Thay stellit gunnys and mynouris past to myne 15.. King Berdok 37.
Thay stellit gunis to the killogy laich 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 274.
The pieces within the toun stellit in St. Geilis kirk yard 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 270.
The lordis of the congregatioun ischit furth of Edinburgh with their men of weare and artailȝerie, and stellit the same abone the querrell hoilis at the abbey, and schote thairwith … quhill none at the said toun of Leith 1596 Dalr. II 298/23.
The Inglismen … raiset thair camp, to stel cannounes, and thair feild peices, at the hil of the place namet Pinkincleuch 1596 Dalr. II 309/4.
Heir is fund a place commodius to stell the cannounis vpon 1596 Dalr. II 436/1.
Stelling thair cannounis toward the kirkes 1596 Dalr. II 309/28.
Stelit 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 225/223.
Thair cannonerris thaire cannonis stellid [1591 steild] to mak destroying sounde c1650 Spalding I 207.
The Erll Marschall … stellis his peices … to cross the Lord of Oboynes cuming 1650 Nicoll Diary 24. 1679 J. Somerville Mem. II 233.
The cannoneires began to levill and stell one of ther best gunnes(b) a1578 Pitsc. I 270/15.
He … tuik in hand that he sould cut the brig … for he staillit his artaillȝe for the brige(c) a1578 Pitsc. II 251/26.
Thai … had with thame twa small cairted peices and stylled thame vpone the craigheid abone Leith Wynd a1578 Pitsc. II 266/34.
Thair was thair arteilȝerrie stylled and schot … at the wallis of Edinburgh a1578 Pitsc. II 302/11.
The Inglis cannonis war styled to wit … four layd in the Gray Freiris [etc.] c1680 Bothwell Lines 53 in Fugitive Poetry I.
Stilling their cannons us before discharging at our lads

c. To occupy, possess (a place of business, a house). 1521–3 Old Dundee II 338.
Colleagues and tacksmen togidder with John Logie's wife in her bakehouse, and that they sall bruik, still and occupie the house for the year in to come

3. fig. To bring to a halt; to cause to be in difficulties; to put off. 1510 Crim. Trials I i 67.
Geif ony baxtaris makis ony conventionis and gaderingis and brekis the assis … or stalis the toune and baikis nocht eftir the pricis that is gevin 1709 Wodrow Corr. I 49.
The abjuration oath … will extremely weaken our hands in time to come and stale a great many that we might otherwise have depended upon

4. To satisfy (a need). Cf. later dialect. 1587 Calderwood IV 665.
And no superplus to be made whill the ministers and schooles in all parts be sufficientlie stailed

5. intr. ? To come to a halt, to be in difficulties, to ‘get in a fix’, chiefly in a military context. Also const. with (= with regard to) (a person). b. specif. In chess: To undergo stalemate. ?1438 Alex. ii 9685.
Quhen that he saw the standart stale [F. Quant il voit l'estandart contre terre versé], The folk of Inde nere fleand hale 1494 Loutfut MS 131b.
The vii cautele is that the host staill nocht in thair passagis for & thai be diuidit thai ar the eisier [transcr. either] vencust 1616 Lett. Eccl. Affairs II 485.
They go about to persuad the bischoppis that [etc.] … taking occasione, furthe off ane parcell off letter of my lord off Canterberries quhairin his Grace hes said to muche (so that I purpoise newer to steall with his Grace herefter)b. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 202 (W).
For vnder cuire I got sic check That I micht neither muife nor neck, Bot ather stale [L. stell, Wr. staile] or mait