A tough old cowboy told his grandson that if he wanted to live a long life, the secret was to sprinkle a little gunpowder on his oatmeal every morning. The grandson did this religiously, and lived to the age of 93.
When he died he left 14 children, 28 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren… and a 15-foot hole in the wall of the crematorium.
—v. (past and past part. Stood) 1 have, take, or maintain an upright position, esp. On the feet or a base.
- be situated (here once stood a village).
- be of a specified height.
- be in a specified state (stands accused; it stands as follows).
- set in an upright or specified position (stood it against the wall).
- a move to and remain in a specified position (stand aside). B take a specified attitude (stand aloof).
- maintain a position; avoid falling, moving, or being moved.
- assume a stationary position; cease to move.
- remain valid or unaltered. 10 naut. Hold a specified course. 11 endure, tolerate. 12 provide at one's own expense (stood him a drink). 13 (often foll. By for) be a candidate (for office etc.) (stood for parliament). 14 act in a specified capacity (stood proxy). 15 undergo (trial). —n. - cessation from progress, stoppage.
- a mil. Halt made to repel an attack. B resistance to attack or compulsion (esp. Make a stand). C cricket prolonged period at the wicket by two batsmen.
- position taken up; attitude adopted.
- rack, set of shelves, etc. For storage.
- open-fronted stall or structure for a trader, exhibitor, etc.
- standing-place for vehicles.
- a raised structure to sit or stand on. B us witness-box.
- each halt made for a performance on a tour.
- group of growing plants (stand of trees). as it stands 1 in its present condition.
- in the present circumstances. Stand by 1 stand nearby; look on without interfering.
- uphold, support (a person).
- adhere to (a promise etc.).
- be ready for action. Stand a chance see *chance. Stand corrected accept correction. Stand down withdraw from a position or candidacy. Stand for 1 represent, signify, imply.
- colloq. Endure, tolerate. Stand one's ground not yield. Stand in (usu. Foll. By for) deputize. Stand off 1 move or keep away.
- temporarily dismiss (an employee). Stand on insist on, observe scrupulously. Stand on one's own feet (or own two feet) be self-reliant or independent. Stand out 1 be prominent or outstanding.
- (usu. Foll. By against, for) persist in opposition or support. Stand to 1 mil. Stand ready for an attack.
- abide by.
- be likely or certain to. Stand to reason be obvious. Stand up 1 a rise to one's feet. B come to, remain in, or place in a standing position.
- (of an argument etc.) Be valid.
- colloq. Fail to keep an appointment with.
STANK
past of *stink.
STARE
—v. (-ring) 1 (usu. Foll. By at) look fixedly, esp. In curiosity, surprise, horror, etc.
- reduce (a person) to a specified condition by staring (stared me into silence). —n. Staring gaze. stare a person in the face be evident or imminent. Stare a person out stare at a person until he or she looks away. [old english]
- a cause or enable (a person) to make a beginning (started me in business). B (foll. By pres. Part.) Cause (a person) to begin (started me coughing).
- (often foll. By up) establish.
- give a signal to (competitors) to start in a race.
- (often foll. By up, from, etc.) Jump in surprise, pain, etc. 10 spring out, up, etc. 11 conceive (a baby). 12 rouse (game etc.). 13 a (of timbers etc.) Spring out; give way. B cause (timbers etc.) To do this. —n. - beginning.
- place from which a race etc. Begins.
- advantage given at the beginning of a race etc.
- advantageous initial position in life, business, etc.
- sudden movement of surprise, pain, etc. for a start colloq. As a beginning. Start off begin; begin to move. Start out begin a journey. Start up arise; occur. [old english]
STASH
colloq. —v. (often foll. By away) 1 conceal; put in a safe place.
- hoard. —n. - hiding-place.
- thing hidden. [origin unknown]
STATE
of emergency n. Condition of danger or disaster in a country, with normal constitutional procedures suspended.
- of the art —n. Current stage of esp. Technological development. —attrib. Adj. (usu. State-of-the-art) absolutely up-to-date (state-of-the-art weaponry).
- school n. School largely managed and funded by the public authorities.
- —n. - existing condition or position of a person or thing.
- colloq. A excited or agitated mental condition (esp. In a state). B untidy condition.
- (usu. State) a political community under one government. B this as part of a federal republic.
- (usu. State) (attrib.) A of, for, or concerned with the state. B reserved for or done on occasions of ceremony.
- (usu. State) civil government.
- pomp.
- (the states) usa. —v. (-ting) 1 express in speech or writing.
- fix, specify.
- mus. Play (a theme etc.), esp. For the first time. in state with all due ceremony. Lie in state be laid in a public place of honour before burial. [partly from *estate, partly from latin *status]
STAVE
—n. - each of the curved slats forming the sides of a cask, pail, etc.
- = *staff n. 3.
- stanza or verse. —v. (-ving; past and past part. Stove or staved) (usu. Foll. By in) break a hole in, damage, crush by forcing inwards. stave off avert or defer (danger etc.). [from *staff]
STEAD
n. in a person's (or thing's) stead as a substitute; in a person's or thing's place. Stand a person in good stead be advantageous or useful to him or her. [old english, = place]
