Middle English Dictionary Entry
stou(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | stou(e n.(1) Also stowe, (chiefly early) stouwe & (in names) stow(e)a, sto, stoie, stol(d, sta(u)we, steowe & (assimilated to 1st elem. in place name) -xtwe (wik-stoue); pl. (early) stowe, sto(u)wen, (dat.) stowum, stowun & (in place name) stowes. |
| Etymology | OE stōw, stōu(e, stōwa. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A place, locality, spot; a location, site; also fig.; on non ~, in no place, nowhere; in phrases with weakened locative sense: on ~, there; on this ~, here; (b) as a generalizing reference to some specific inhabited place: a town, city; (c) in cpds. & combs.: bourne ~ [OE burn-stōw], a spring or watercourse; erding ~ [OE eardung-stōw], a dwelling place; qualm ~ [OE cwealm-stōw], a place of execution [see qualm n.(1) (d)]; waste ~, an uninhabited place or region; witnung ~ [OE wītnung-stōw], purgatory, the place of temporal punishment for the spiritual cleansing after death of souls destined for heaven; a specific place within, or portion of, purgatory or hell.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)29/21 : Seo burh wearð syððen on oðre stowe getimbrod & mid þan Sarrazenisscen gesett.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)95/37 : Ælc mildheortnysse wyrcð hire sylfre stowe æfter hire agenre geearnunge.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)112/20 : Alc synne þe nære ofer eorðen gebett, scolde beon on þysser wurlde gedemed..Nis nu his time to bereowsine on þyssere stowe.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)116/32 : Se ængel me lædde þa furðere to anre þeosterfullre stowe, seo wæs to þan swyðe mid þiccan þeostren oferðeht.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)55/10 : Clufwyrt..wexeð on sandiȝum stowe [OE landum; L locis] & on fealdum.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)105/3 : Asterion..byð cenned betweoh stanum & on smeþum stowun.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)23/20 : Þus þu hine scealt lacnian: Do hym forhæfædnysse on mete and læt hine beo on stille stowe.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)24/24 : God sylf is æȝhwær, on ælcere stowe, þurh his mycele mihte.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)116/26 : Eliæs..is ȝyt on lichame libbende on þam stowe þe God him hæfð isæt & he sceal þær abidæn sundfullice his martyrdomes.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)10/2 : Ic bidde ðe nu..þæt ðu me sæcge on hwylcere stowe moyses wære þa he ærest þa ȝyrdæn ifunde.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)30/25 : Þa ne mihten heo on nane stowe swylc treow finden swylce heo hine on hon wolden; Ða..heoræ an..cwæð ðæt on salomones temple an treow wære þæt he wende þæt ðerto mihte.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)27/3 : Þa stowwen [L Officina] hwar we ealle þos þing maȝe sycerlice wyrcæn beoð þes mynstres claustren.
- a1350 Mayden moder (Hrl 2253)25 : On stou ase þou stode, pucele, tot pensaunt, þou restest þe vnder rode, ton fitz veites pendant.
b
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)28/33 : Seo Godes gelaðung, þe on Jerusalem..drohtnigende wæs, ferde eall samod of þære byrig to anre wic wið þære ea Jordanem, for þan þe him com to Godes hæs, þæt heo scoldan fram þære manfulle stowe faren, ær þan þe seo wraca come.
- a1425(?OE) Chart.in Birch Cart.Sax.2.144 : Ðises landes freols was i-writen in þare stowe þat is inemned at wudegate.
c
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)117/33 : Seo mycele beornende dene..is witnungstowe, on þære byð þære manna sawlen gewitnode..þe nolden heora synnen þurh andetnysse..gerihtlæcen..hæfden swa þeh bereowsunge æt heora ændenexte dæge..& becumeð on domes dæge ealle to heofone rice.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)118/34 : Eft..mæn wurden of þysse life gelædde & eft to life arærde & heo feola witnungstowe & eac halgena wununge gesegen.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)130/5 : Sohte þa weste stowe geond eall þiss land on to wunigene.
- c1175(OE) Bod.Hom.Dom.2 Quadr.(Bod 343)50/15 : Is us swiðe mycel ðearf þæt we us sylfe weorðe don him to eardungstowe.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)173 : Crist..giue us alle on heuene eche erdingstouwe.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)28 : [Þ]o stod on old stoc þarbiside..Hit was þare hule eardingstowe.
- c1425 Liber de Hyda in RS 4595 : These bene the syx hyde londys-markys of Candefer: Fyrst, from the burne-place or ellys burnestow [OE burnstowe; L loco torrentis] to Stanchystyl..and so along by west the dune to the bornstow.
2.
(a) A particular place or passage in a book or body of writings; (b) a place in or on the body.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)31/18 : Eft on oðre stowe mynegað þæt halige gewrit, 'On eallen þinen weorcan,' [etc.].
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)56/35 : Eft cwæð se ilca apostol on oðre stowe, 'Ne synd na to wiðmetene þa þrowunga.'
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)76/20 : Beo þyssen cwæð eac se Hælend on oðre stowen to his leorningcnihten, 'Gyf þes middeneard eow hateð, wyte ge þæt he me hatode ær eow'; & 'gyf heo min ehton, þonne ehteð heo eac eower.'
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Fest.Virg.(Vsp D.14)21/60 : Heo andswerede mid eadmodnysse: 'Ic eam drihtenes þenen.' On oðre stowe heo cwæð: 'Drihten beseh to minre eadmodnysse.'
- c1175(OE) Bod.Hom.Dom.2 Quadr.(Bod 343)56/2 : And cwæð æft on oðrum stowum, 'Vigilate,' etc.
- a1225(OE) Vsp.A.Hom.Init.Creat.(Vsp A.22)219 : For wan hi beoð þuss icweðe me scel sigge, an oðre stowe.
b
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)245/3,5 : Wið wifa earfodnyssa þe on hure inwerdlicum stowum earfeðu þrowiaþ, foxes liþu..mid ealden ele..wyrc him to sealfe; do an wifa stowe, raðe hyt þa earfeþu ȝehæleð.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)259/16 : Wið wearras..blac rammes wulon [read: wul] on wæte ȝedifed &..sidðan aled on þæt sara stowe.
3.
(a) A sacred site, religious house, monastery; holi ~, a religious house, monastery; a church, shrine; ?also, holy ground; (b) a building, temple.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)114/31 : Nis to underfonne nanes synfulles mannes æhte..on his geændunge, ne his lic ne seo on haligre stowe bebyriged.
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)207 : He haueð..mid his foten gon..seldere þene he sholde to his chirche and to oðre holie stowen.
- a1300 Chart.in Kemble Codex Dipl.6.205 : Ic an eke fredames ðan halegen kinge seint Eadmunde so forð so he fermest hauede into ðere stowe ðe he onrestet.
- c1300(1035-44) Chart.in Kemble Codex Dipl.4.268 : Ic kiðe ðe mine quide, ðat ic Crist an and his halegan, mine louerdes soule to alisednesse and mine, into ðe holy stowe ðer ic self resten wille, ðat is, at seynt Eadmundes byri.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)606 : Diana..ȝif ich þat lond mai bi-ȝeten..makian ich wlle on þine nome mæren ane stowe & ich þe wulle huren mid wrhscipe hæȝan.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1444 : Þe wind him com on wiðere..& he feol to folde..vppen are stouwe þe i Lundene stod, Appollones temple.
4.
A lane, passageway [see EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.) 345-6 and Smith PNElem.2.159-60]; cart ~.
Associated quotations
- (1347) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)346 : Uno stowe iuxta le houtgate.
- (1396) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)346 : Unum cartestowe.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)478 : Stowe [Win: Stowwe], streythe passage be-twyx ij wallys or hedgys: Intercapedo.
5.
(a) In surnames; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem.2.158-61].
Associated quotations
a
- (1190) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames336 : Osbert de Stowa.
- (1296) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames153 : Cristian' atte Pleystouwe.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 105 : Baldewyno de Stouwe.
- (1302) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames134 : Will. atte Motstowe.
- (1327) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames203 : Alex. de la Stowe.
- (1334-5) Acc.R.St.Swithun in Hamp.RS (1892)240 : In ij bursis emptis pro Domino Willelmo de Stowe et Capellano, vij s. ij d.
- (1361) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames153 : Ric. atte Pleystowe.
- (1397) Rec.Norwich 2249 : Henry de Stowe.
- (1411) Close R.Hen.IV212 : John Stowe, worstedmaker.
- (1418-19) Fabric R.Yk.Min.in Sur.Soc.3538 : In remuneracione data Willelmi Stowe liberanti dictas quercus, 6 s. 8 d.
- (1441) Pat.R.Hen.VI564 : Richard Stowe.
- -?-(1166) Red Bk.Exch.in RS 99259 : Radulfus de Pleistowe.
b
- a1150(?OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)130/7 : Seo is wæstdæles þysses landes, ten milen fram Petrocesstowe þa me hatt Neotes stoca.
- (1175) EPNSoc.2 (Bck.)3 : Bunestou.
- (1190) EPNSoc.40 (Glo.)83 : Bristo.
- (1194) EPNSoc.17 (Not.)75 : Edenestowa.
- (1200) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)163 : Stowea.
- (1200) in Ekwall Dict.EPN63 : Bristoll.
- (1221) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)225 : Le Stauwe.
- (1248) EPNSoc.40 (Glo.)84 : Bristold.
- (1269) in Ekwall Dict.EPN427 : Stowmarket.
- (1282) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)199 : Stowe Beate Marie.
- a1300 Hundreds Engl.(Jes-O 29)145/3,5 : Engle lond is eyhte hundred Myle long from penwyþ steorte, þat is fyftene Mylen by-yonde Mihhales steowe on cornwale..to katenes; þe breade..is þreo hundred myle brod from Dewyes steowe to Doueran.
- (c1300) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)314 : Mustouwe.
- (1307) in Bannister PNHerf.152 : Peterustoye.
- (1314) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)371 : Stowcroft.
- (1316) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)132 : Stowe cum Quey.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9865 : Roberd harding arerde..Þe abbeye at bristowe þat of seint austin is.
- (1327) Name in LuSE 3589 : Wixtwe.
- (1335) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)156 : Qualmestowe.
- (1374) Close R.Edw.III22 : [Two knights' fees in] Stowe Mareys.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)224/11 : At Bristow were draw and honged Sire Henry of Wynington and Sire Henry of Mounford.
- (1401) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)345 : Les Stowes in le Fendykfelde.
- (1403) Close R.Hen.IV210 : [A yearly rent of 6 l. in..] Stoweparke.
- (1418) EPNSoc.10 (Nhp.)30 : Stow with the Nyne Churche.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)63 : The lorde Spencer was byheeded at Brystow.
- (1446) EPNSoc.40 (Glo.)83 : The barton of Bristol.
- (1449) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)313 : Halstowe.
- (1454) Paston2.95 : A stately vessell, only for the werre, ys made new at Brystow.
- (1463) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)212 : Virstawe.
- (1471) EPNSoc.17 (Not.)76 : Edyngstowe.