Middle English Dictionary Entry
stāble n.
Entry Info
| Forms | stāble n. Also stabel(e, stabil(le, stabul(le; pl. stables, stablen. |
| Etymology | From OF estable & L stabulum. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A building for the keeping of animals, esp. horses, a stable; also fig.; ~ dore (windoue); ~ kepere, a hostler; child of the ~, a stableboy; office of the ~, the department responsible for the stables of a great household; (b) in proverbs and prov. expressions; ~ dore; (c) in surnames; ~ gate.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)629 : Vor hors a stable, & oxe a stalle.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)35/588 : Þe kniȝtes ȝeden to table, & horne ȝede to stable; Þar he tok his gode fole.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5669 : Þe hous of malmesbury..He made hit stable to his hors.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)105/2152 : At stable dore to him ȝhe sede, '..Me wolde þenke..Þat hit were Beues.'
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)210/7 : Þet mest heþ hors, mest him fayleþ gromes and stablen.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3226 : Þat comli quen..hade on þe sturnest stede in hire stabul teiȝed þat euer man..miȝt of heren.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.28 : The chambres and the stables [vr. stablis] weren wyde.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)50/12 : Þou hast receiued þi God and leid him in a foul, comyne stabele to alle þe seuene dedli synnes.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)12b/b : Caula: a stabele or a fold or a shep cot.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)471 : Stabul kepar, or hors kepar: Stabularius.
- (1451) Lin.DDoc.51/22 : I will my child of the stabull hafe my botys.
- (1454) Proc.Privy C.6.233 : Thoffice of þe stable..ij yomen purveours..j yoman garneter..j yoman of hors, xj yomen and gromes of þe stable.
- c1460 My fayr lady (Hrl 2255)p.204 : Hire cote armure is duskyd reed..Wyde as a chirche that hath a gabyl; For who shalle justyn in that stabyl, But he be shodde, he is not sene.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57375 : My mastyr paid for canvas for the stable wyndowes viij d.
- c1425 Wycl.Antichr.(2) (Dub 245)p.cxxx : Crist laye in a stable bi twix an oxe & an asse.
- (c1475) Stonor1.153 : Item, a payr off hosse for the chyld off the stabull off russet karyssey.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.267 : On a tyme cam a proud iettere into a stable and fond a mynstralys hors stondyng be his hors.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)729/31 : De edificiis domorum..stabulum: a stabulle.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)804/4 : Nomina domorum..stabulum: a stabylle.
- a1525(?1421) Cov.Leet Bk.29 : We commaund that no man..cast no dong of hur stablez ne non othur fylthe in the comune Ryver.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.903 : Whan the grete Stiede Is stole, thanne he taketh hiede And makth the stable dore fast.
- c1450 Ryl.Prov.& R.(Ryl Lat 394)97 : When þe hors is stolyn, steyke þe stabul dore.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3184 : A man to seruesabill Ledith offt beyard from his owne stabill.
- c1475 Rwl.Prov.(Rwl D.328)p.118 : When þe stede ys stole hit ys tyme to schette þe stabell doyr.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)196 : As pilwes been to chaumbris agreable, So is hard strauh litteer for the stable.
c
- (1264) Pat.R.Hen.III374 : Gilbert del Stable.
- (1271) Inquis.PM Hen.III in Archaeol.Cant.6243 : Robert de Stablegate.
- (1303-4) in Kristensson ME Local Surnames18 : Joh. de la Stable.
- (1311-12) Freeman R.in KRec.18196 : Johannes filius Philippi de Stablegate.
- (1327) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10175 : Robto atte Stable.
- (1332) Sub.R.Bdf.in Suf.GB 18151 : Stephanus of yhe Stable.
- (1357-8) Freeman R.in KRec.18208 : Edwardus de Stablegate.
- (1412) Feudal Aids 6392 : Johannes atte Stable de Felmersham.
- -?-(1447) Will in Som.RS 16159 : [To Davy] de stabull [20 s., one saddle with a bit].