Staddle, stad′l, n. anything that serves for support: a staff or crutch: a stack-stand: a small tree. [A.S. stathol, foundation; Ger. stadel.]
Stade=Stadium (q.v.).
Stadia, stā′di-a, n. a temporary surveying station: an instrument for measuring distances.—n. Stadiom′eter, a self-recording theodolite.
Stadium, stā′di-um, n. a Greek measure of length, 600 podes=582 English feet, the Greek foot being .971 of an English foot:—pl. Stā′dia.
Stadtholder, stad-hōl′dėr, n. a barbarous English form of the Dutch Stadhouder, 'stead-holder,' of which the French lieu-tenant is a literal translation, Statthalter being the corresponding German.
Staff, staf, n. a stick carried for support or defence: a prop: a long piece of wood: pole: a flagstaff: the long handle of an instrument: a stick or ensign of authority: the five lines and spaces on which music is written: a stanza (the previous meanings have pl. Staffs or Staves, stāvz): a body of skilled officers whose duty it is, under orders from the commanding officers of various grades, to arrange the movements and supply of the various bodies which go to make up an army: a similar body of persons in any undertaking, acting under a manager or chief (the last two meanings have pl. Staffs, stafs).—ns. Staff′-captain, the senior grade in the navigating branch in the British navy; Staff′-coll′ege, a college where military officers are trained in the higher branches of professional knowledge, and prepared for holding staff-appointments; Staff′-corps, a body of intelligent officers and men who performed engineering and siege duties, made reconnaissances, &c. during the wars of Wellington; (Indian) a body of British officers serving on the permanent Indian establishment, appointed from it to do duty with native regiments, &c.; Staff′-dū′ty, the occupation of an officer who serves on a staff, having been detached from his regiment; Staff′-notā′tion, musical notation in which a staff is used, as opposed to the tonic-solfa system; Staff′-sur′geon, a navy surgeon of senior grade; Staff′-sys′tem, a block-system in use on single-line railways in which the station-master gives the engine-driver a staff authorising him to proceed over a given portion. [A.S. stæf; Ice. stafr, Ger. stab.]
Stag, stag, n. the male deer, esp. one of the red deer:—fem. Hind: a speculator who applies for shares or stock in new concerns quoted at a premium, hoping to obtain an allotment and secure a profit without holding the stock, one who sells new securities quoted at a premium before allotment.—v.t. to follow, to dog, to shadow.—v.i. to act as a stag on the stock-exchange.—ns. Stag′-bee′tle, a genus of Lamellicorn beetles, nearly allied to the Scarabees, the males with large projecting mandibles; Stag′-dance, -part′y, a dance or party of men only; Stag′hound, a name applied both to the buck-hound and the Scottish deer-hound. [Ice. steggr, a male animal, stiga, to mount.]
Stage, stāj, n. an elevated platform, esp. in a theatre: the theatre: theatrical representations, the theatrical calling: any place of exhibition or performance: a place of rest on a journey or road: distance between places: degree of progress.—v.t. to represent or place for representation on the stage.—ns. Stage′-coach, a coach that runs regularly with passengers from stage to stage; Stage′-craft, skill in putting a play on the stage; Stage′-door, the actors' entrance to a theatre; Stage′-driv′er, one who drives a stage; Stage′-effect′, theatrical effect; Stage′-fē′ver, a passion to go on the stage; Stage′-fright, nervousness before an audience, esp. for the first time; Stage′-man′ager, one who superintends the production of plays, and has general charge of everything behind the curtain; Stage′-play, a play for representation on a stage; Stage′-play′er, a player on the stage; Stā′ger, a stage-horse: one who has had much experience in anything.—adj. Stage′-struck, sorely smitten with stage-fever.—ns. Stage′-wag′on, a wagon for conveying goods and passengers at fixed times; Stage′-whis′per, a loud whisper, as that of an actor meant to be heard by the audience.—adjs. Stā′gey, Stā′gy, suggesting the stage, theatrical.—ns. Stā′giness; Stā′ging, a structure for workmen in building. [O. Fr. estage (Fr. étage), a story of a house, through a L. form staticus, from stāre, to stand.]
Stagger, stag′ėr, v.i. to reel from side to side: to begin to give way: to begin to doubt: to hesitate.—v.t. to cause to reel: to cause to doubt or hesitate: to shock.—adv. Stagg′eringly.—n. Stagg′ers, a popular term applied to several diseases of horses.—Grass, or Stomach, staggers, an acute indigestion; Mad, or Sleepy, staggers, an inflammation of the brain. [Ice. stakra, to push, freq. of staka, to push.]
Stagirite, Stagyrite, staj′i-rīt, adj. pertaining to Stageira in Macedonia.—n. a native or inhabitant thereof, esp. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.).