Stickled

Stickled
Stickle Stic"kle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Stickled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Stickling}.] [Probably fr. OE. stightlen, sti?tlen, to dispose, arrange, govern, freq. of stihten, AS. stihtan: cf. G. stiften to found, to establish.] 1. To separate combatants by intervening. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

When he [the angel] sees half of the Christians killed, and the rest in a fair way of being routed, he stickles betwixt the remainder of God's host and the race of fiends. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

2. To contend, contest, or altercate, esp. in a pertinacious manner on insufficient grounds. [1913 Webster]

Fortune, as she 's wont, turned fickle, And for the foe began to stickle. --Hudibras. [1913 Webster]

While for paltry punk they roar and stickle. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

The obstinacy with which he stickles for the wrong. --Hazlitt. [1913 Webster]

3. To play fast and loose; to pass from one side to the other; to trim. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Stickle — Stic kle, v. t. 1. To separate, as combatants; hence, to quiet, to appease, as disputants. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Which [question] violently they pursue, Nor stickled would they be. Drayton. [1913 Webster] 2. To intervene in; to stop, or put an… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Stickle — Stic kle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Stickled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Stickling}.] [Probably fr. OE. stightlen, sti?tlen, to dispose, arrange, govern, freq. of stihten, AS. stihtan: cf. G. stiften to found, to establish.] 1. To separate combatants by… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Stickling — Stickle Stic kle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Stickled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Stickling}.] [Probably fr. OE. stightlen, sti?tlen, to dispose, arrange, govern, freq. of stihten, AS. stihtan: cf. G. stiften to found, to establish.] 1. To separate combatants… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • stickle — intransitive verb (stickled; stickling) Etymology: alteration of Middle English stightlen, frequentative of stighten to arrange, from Old English stihtan; akin to Old Norse stētta to found, support Date: 1642 1. to contend especially stubbornly… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • stickle — /stik euhl/, v.i., stickled, stickling. 1. to argue or haggle insistently, esp. on trivial matters. 2. to raise objections; scruple; demur. [1520 30; var. of obs. stightle to set in order, freq. of stight to set in order, ME stighten, OE stihtan… …   Universalium

  • stickle — /ˈstɪkəl/ (say stikuhl) verb (i) (stickled, stickling) 1. to argue or haggle insistently, especially on trivial matters. 2. to raise objections; scruple; demur. {Middle English stightle arbitrate, frequentative of obsolete stight, Old English… …  

  • stickle — [stik′əl] vi. stickled, stickling [prob. < ME stightlen, to rule, order, dispose, freq. of stighten, to dispose, destine < OE stihtan, prob. akin to Ger stiften, to arrange, establish: for prob. IE base see STIFF] 1. to raise objections,… …   English World dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”