Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sta(i)the, n. [Early ME staþe (Layamon) a bank, shore, OE stæþ. North. ME and e.m.E. stathe (1338), staithe (1653) a landing-stage, wharf, stathe (1698) an embankment, ON stǫð, Norw. stød, MHG stade.] a. ? The shore, bank (of a river), land bordering a river. b. ?A bank, high ground or, ? perhaps more likely, the landing at the top of a flight of steps. c. ? A landing between flights of stairs. —a. ?12… Liber Melros II 689.
Que quidam edificia se extendunt versus le stathe usque in twedam —b. 1594–95 Cal. Sc. P. XI 525.
Yet at the entrance of the Tolbooth, Crawford's men … meeting the Master of Glamis after the Master was put up the staithe, pistols were drawn [etc.] —c. 1600 Crim. Trials II 313.
The king … went with the Mr. from staithe to staithe, and chamber to chamber