stale

Verb · Adjective

WordNet 3.0

Verb (1)

urinate, of cattle and horses

Adjective (2)

lacking freshness, palatability, or showing deterioration from age“stale bread”“the beer was stale”
lacking originality or spontaneity; no longer new“moth-eaten theories about race”“stale news”Synonyms: cold dusty moth-eaten

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Stale \Stale\, n. [Cf. OF. estal place, position, abode, market, F. ['e]tal a butcher's stall, OHG. stal station, place, stable, G. stall (see Stall, n.); or from OE. stale theft, AS. stalu (see Steal, v. t.).]

1.Something set, or offered to view, as an allurement to draw others to any place or purpose; a decoy; a stool pigeon. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Still, as he went, he crafty stales did lay.— Spenser.[1913 Webster]

2.A stalking-horse. [Obs.] --B. Jonson. [1913 Webster]

3.(Chess) A stalemate. [Obs.] --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

4.A laughingstock; a dupe. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Stale \Stale\, a. [Akin to stale urine, and to stall, n.; probably from Low German or Scandinavian. Cf. Stale, v. i.]

1.Vapid or tasteless from age; having lost its life, spirit, and flavor, from being long kept; as, stale beer. [1913 Webster]

2.Not new; not freshly made; as, stale bread. [1913 Webster]

3.Having lost the life or graces of youth; worn out; decayed. "A stale virgin." --Spectator. [1913 Webster]

4.Worn out by use or familiarity; having lost its novelty and power of pleasing; trite; common. --Swift. [1913 Webster]

Wit itself, if stale is less pleasing.— Grew.[1913 Webster]

How weary, stale flat, and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world!— Shak.[1913 Webster]

Stale affidavit (Law), an affidavit held above a year. --Craig.

Stale demand (Law), a claim or demand which has not been pressed or demanded for a long time. [1913 Webster]

Stale \Stale\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Staled (st[=a]ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Staling.] To make vapid or tasteless; to destroy the life, beauty, or use of; to wear out. [1913 Webster]

Age can not wither her, nor custom stale Her infinite variety. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Stale \Stale\ (st[=a]l), n. [OE. stale, stele, AS. stael, stel; akin to LG. & D. steel, G. stiel; cf. L. stilus stake, stalk, stem, Gr. steleo`n a handle, and E. stall, stalk, n.] The stock or handle of anything; as, the stale of a rake. [Written also steal, stele, etc.] [1913 Webster]

But seeing the arrow's stale without, and that the head did go No further than it might be seen. --Chapman. [1913 Webster]

Stale \Stale\, v. i. [Akin to D. & G. stallen, Dan. stalle, Sw. stalla, and E. stall a stable. [root] 163. See Stall, n., and cf. Stale, a.] To make water; to discharge urine; -- said especially of horses and cattle. --Hudibras. [1913 Webster]

Stale \Stale\, n. [See Stale, a. & v. i.]

1.That which is stale or worn out by long keeping, or by use. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

2.A prostitute. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3.Urine, esp. that of beasts. "Stale of horses." --Shak. [1913 Webster]