Middle English Dictionary Entry
stath n.
Entry Info
| Forms | stath n. Also stathe, (N) staith, (early) steþ & (in place names) -stad, -stat, staf, (assimilated to 1st element) -xtath & (?errors) staye, staȝe, (error) stache; pl. stathes, (gen., in names) stathum, statham. |
| Etymology | OE stæþ, staþe, steþ & ON: cp. OI stöð; also cp. (for names) ON: cp. OI staðr. For form staye cp. AL staya, var. of statha; form staȝe in (b) quot. 1429 2nd could also be construed as ME stāǧe n. 2. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A shore; the bank of a river, edge of a pond [last quot. may be error for scath(e n.]; also in proverbs; (b) a dock, wharf, landing place; lond ~, an embankment forming the end of a bridge; (c) in surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem.2.142, 147, 158.].
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)6/16 : Oft stille wæter staðe brecað.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)6/17 : Treowlicre hit is beo staðe to rowen þonne ut on sæ to segeligen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4 : He wonede at Ernleȝe..vppen Seuarne staþe.
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)546/19 : Ripa: steþ.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20606 : If þai resaife of þat burn þare Strinkelande opon þam..vnder þar claþes, Þai aschape noght withouten staþes, Vnnese forsoȝ oþer neuer mare Out of þe place win, þeþen to fare; Bot þe stagne sone þam draghes to drunken.
b
- (1378) Rec.Norwich 2234 : Pro firma del Stath', j d.
- (1387) Deed Yks.in YASRS 69123 : [10,000 good suitable mixed turfs, to be carried..to within the port..to the common] stathe.
- (c1390) in Gross Gild Merch.2.169 : Habuerunt unam communem placeam vocatam le commen stathe.
- (1395-6) Rec.Norwich 251 : [For freight of timber from Colchester to Norwich for the] stathe.
- (1402) MSS PRO in App.Bk.Lond.E.282 : At lenn befornseid on the comun stathe..William Asshbourn seide yat kyng herry yat now is was a fals traitour.
- (1417) J.Dernell in Nrf.Archaeol.15138 : Dies Mercurii, ij plowes goyng tyll none; after none a mylstone for yo staye [?read: staþe] to Heylysdone, xij d.
- (1421) Fabric R.Yk.Min.in Sur.Soc.3544 : Pro factura unius staith de novo apud Cawod, in grosso 26 s. 8 d..pro pavimento ejusdem staith, 16 s.
- (1421-2) in Salzman Building in Engl.497,498 : A brigg of stane..sall be mad..of twa pilers, two lanstathes, And thre Arches..Nich' And his falaws schall..mak..ye branderethes of ye pilers and of ye landstathes..And make ye brandereth of ye ta landestathe be laide befor ye fest of ye Inuencion of ye holy Crosse.
- (1428) Doc.in Sur.Soc.852 : William Kyam..come to John Bower stathe, and thar John Bower proferd to sell hym a laste of osmundes.
- (1429) J.Boys in Nrf.Archaeol.15145 : On ye saterday ocupyid wt the styward in ij lod of barly ledyng to ye commown stathe.
- (1429) J.Boys in Nrf.Archaeol.15146 : The first munday of clene lente aforn none xviij comb of Barly to ye staȝe [?read: staþe], after none j lod of vitayl price v d., no more werk by cause of weder.
- (1429) J.Boys in Nrf.Archaeol.15156 : j lod heryng fro ye stath.
- (1435) Doc.in Rec.B.Nottingham 2356 : John e Wroo for a comon yat he has byged a stathe on at ye Wattergang, vj d.
- (1437) RParl.4.508b : No manere personne shippe..Merchaundis longing to ye Staple, in no place within this Roialme, but onely at ye Keyes and Stathes beying in the Portes assigned by Statut.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)473 : Stache [read: Stathe; Win: Stath] waterys syde: Stacio.
- (1457) Will York in Sur.Soc.30209 : Lego..j cogship et terminos meos in domo de le stathe.
- (1468-9) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.cccxi : Pro factura ij stathys super ripam de Owse, xx l.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)120a : A Stathe: Nauale, Stacio, Portus, staciuncula.
- a1500 PParv.(KC 8)269 : Key of stathe: Loramentum.
c
- (1201) in Ekwall PNLan.151 : Birstaf brinn.
- (1251) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)344 : Stathstede.
- (1257) in Ekwall PNLan.114 : Crocstad.
- (1274) Name in LuSE 7999 : Swetiva of the Stathe.
- (1284-5) EPNSoc.45 (Ches.)38 : Stathum.
- (1289-90) Leet R.Norwich in Seld.Soc.536 : Nicholaus Tepede fecit quandam purpresturam cum quadam domo super Tepeystathe.
- (1300) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)1.631 : Stephen de la Stathe.
- (1302) Pat.R.Edw.I10 : William atte Stath.
- (1320) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)344 : Le Stathegote.
- (1323) in Ekwall PNLan.114 : Croxtath.
- (1349) EPNSoc.45 (Ches.)38 : Statham.
- (1351-2) Name in LuSE 7999 : John atte Stathe.
- (1372) in Ekwall PNLan.114 : Crokstat.
- (1391) EPNSoc.17 (Not.)290 : Flintham Stathe.
- (1413) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames332 : Richard de Stathum.
- (1415) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)139 : Setonstathes.
- (1473) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)344 : Le Stathe.