Middle English Dictionary Entry
stāken v.
Entry Info
| Forms | stāken v. P.ppl. i)stāked, (N) staiked & (early SWM) istaket. |
| Etymology | From stāke n.; cp. MDu., MLG stāken, staicken & OE stagan to pierce with a stake or roast. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. steken v.
1.
(a) To stake out (a boundary), determine; mark (land); ~ oute; (b) to fix (pointed stakes) in a defensive line; fortify (a position) with pointed stakes; ~ up; (c) ppl. staked, fastened to a stake; also, supported by a stake; (d) to run (sb.) through with a pointed weapon, impale; fix (a head) on a stake; ~ on piles, be punctured by pointed stakes; ppl. staked, fig. tormented.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.309 : First þe nemnid alle þe þe purale suld make, þat þorgh þe reame suld go, þe boundes forto stake.
- (1445) in Willis & C.Cambridge 2404 fn. : For the enlarging of garit hostell, as hit is now staked out.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1852 : Þey..mesured lond & dide hit stake, þat ilkon dide his owen knowe.
b
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4612 : Longe pyles & grete dide þey make; ffaste yn Temese dide þey hem stake.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1502 : Mak vp of turf a wale And stake it on our foo, the poyntis tavale.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1525 : The numbir odde is euer to obserue, And hege it other stake it vp to stonde..And make it castellike.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2606 : A dich thei make vp myghtily..And stake it, pale it, toure it..and holde hem inne.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)190 : They made a fylde, dykyd and stakyde welle a-bowt, as hyt ben in the londe of warre.
c
- c1230 Ancr.(Corp-C 402)103/20 : Þe ealleofte hwelp is ifed..wið semblanz & wið sines, as beoren on heh þet heaued..warpe schonke ouer schench, sitten oðer gan stif as ha istaket.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)292 : Many a herbe grewe..The sauge & the Isope, I-frethid & I-stakid.
d
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)24540 : I mournande moder þus for mad, vn-sturen stakid [Goöt: staikid] was I stad..þus was I stikid alle wiþ strife.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)17124 : Pirrus is smeten..the Grues..were alle In mochel doute How the spere-hed scholde gon oute..thoow he were staked With his spere-hede, to hir he soght.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1178 : Stryke of his heuede and stake it thereaftyre.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4632 : Schipes in-to þe water synke..Bordes ryuen out holes wyde..Lond ne hauene myght þey non taken, So faste on pyles gan þey staken.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Ashm.750 Artist.Recipes (Ashm 750) 254/27 : Draw owt þi skyn to þe fawre leggys, and hang hem vp to drye, and stak hem, chalk hem, and wyth hem, and payr hem.
- a1500 Sln.3548 Artist.Recipes (Sln 3548) 310/20 : Put þe skynnes þeryn..and þen take and wasch hem clene and dry hem, and shaue hem, and stake hem.
Note: ?New sense.
Note: Glossary: "stak(e v. imp. 'work (a skin) on a polyng stake (to soften it)'." Cf. new cpd. under pullinge ger.
Note: Cf., too, OED stake, v.1, sense 6 with 19th c. leather manufacturing quot.: 'The tawed skins, when dry, are 'staked', that is stretched, scraped, and smoothed by friction against the blunt edge of a semi-circular knife.' See also the description and illustrations in R. A. Salaman's Dictionary of Leather-Working Tools.