Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1811-1829, 1889-1893
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‡STALE, n.2 Also stell (Jam.). Urine, esp. when collected for bleaching or manurial purposes (Sc. 1880 Jam.; Per. 1971). Obs. in Eng. exc. dial. Combs. stale-ma(i)ster, id. See Maister, n.2; stale-stand, a tub in which this is kept. See Stand, n.2; stale-strang, = stale. See Strang.Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 115:
The perennial urine in the wash-boyn within doors (by some denominated 'stale master').Lth. 1829 G. Robertson Recollections 276:
Even the English seed itself is rendered more assured from a sprinkling of maister, as it is called, from the stale stand or tub.Mry. 1889 T. L. Mason Rafford 17:
The soap they used in auld times was manufactured by themsel's, chiefly frae pron an' stale-maister.Sc. 1893 Knip Knap in Child Ballads No. 33 addition 5:
She has faen to the stale strang, Seven year auld an more.
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"Stale n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Aug 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/stale_n2>
