A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Sterap(e, Stirrop(e, n. Also: sterop, -yp(e, stirrap, -ep, -ip, -up, styrrep, -op, stirrib, -owb, stirep, -ip, -op(e, -up(e, stirlop, steirrop, starup, starrap, storup, sturrop, stirpat, strep, (stip). [ME and e.m.E. stirope (c1175), stirap (c1290), sterop (1341-2), storrope (c1435), stirrop (1526), stirrup (1547), sturrop (1601), OE stiᵹráp, (MDu. stegereep, ON stigreip).]
1. A stirrup, the stirrup iron (Sterap irnis n. pl.) and leather (Sterap leddir n.) taken together as a means of support for the rider's foot; also, occas., the iron alone.(a) 1375 Barb. iii 118.
His hand gan schute Betuix the sterap and his fute 1375 Barb. iii 120.
And quhen the king feld thar hys hand, In hys sterypys stythly gan he stand ?1438 Alex. i 1859.
Betys … tint His sterapis and to the erd he ȝeid [: meid] ?1438 Alex. ii 1445.
His feit in steropis straucht ?1438 Alex. ii 8386.
He … lap vpon him full gude speid But steroppis c1420 Wynt. v 1107.
Hys fute he hade in sterape set On hors to lepe c1420 Wynt. v 1145.
Owt off his sterape he wyth that Drw his fute c1420 Wynt. v 2311.
Sterype 14.. Acts I 337/2.
Of sadillaris … Thai knyt to ther [sadillis evil] harnassyng fals bridill bittis and sterapis brokin 1506–7 Treas. Acc. III 366.
For … tynnyng of thre pair armyng sterapes 1540 Treas. Acc. VII 327.
To cover the satis of the sadillis, bridillis, teis, steroppis, and harnesingis of the halknayis sadillis to be send in France, xv elnis half elne blak velvet(b) ?1438 Alex. ii 1458.
In stirroppis straucht, strekand his steid a1500 Peblis to Play 156.
In till his stirrappis he lap The girding brak and he flew of 1531 Treas. Acc. V 427.
Stirreppis 1535 Wigtown B. Ct. 251b.
Ind[ite] … for the [stel]ing of a pare of stirlop ledderis & a sterap irn 1538 Treas. Acc. VI 442.
Styrreppis 1538 Treas. Acc. VI 443.
To Androw Lorymer for stireppis, bittis and bridillis 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 191.
To Andro Lorymare for grete byttis, armyng stirroppis [etc.] 15.. Clar. i 57.
His fute sadly throw the stirrip ȝeid And throw the field traillit him his steid 1586–7 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 114.
Alexander Peirsone … hes boruit fra me … my blew sadill, the girdis and stirrowbis 1608 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 141.
Stirribis 1600-1610 Melvill 640.
Saint Androis, the great Metropolitanne, [rode] alone by him selff, and ane of the ministeres … walkit at his stirrope 1634 Arch. Scot. I 174.
Brassin stirrips for gentlewomen 1666-7 Blakhall Narr. 109.
And the captain would nedes help me to tye my valise unto my sadle and hold my stirope 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. (1964) 356.
Riding on sadles with stirrops(c) 1538 Treas. Acc. VII 30.
For stirpatis garnist witht double girthis 1538 Treas. Acc. VII 31.
For ane doubling and ane lyning of ane pair of stirpatis iiij s.(d) 1509 Rentale Dunkeld. MS 67.
Pro emendis duobus lie helteris & duobus strepis(e) 1695 Foulis Acc. Bk. 183.
For a new sadle with huise, girth and stips and stirpleathersproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 132.
Als good holdes the stirupe [1641 stirrep] as he that loupis onfig. 1661 Butler Leighton 331.
[His doctor's degree was] but a stirrup to mount him to prelacy
b. Fals sterap, a mace, ? from its hanging by the side of the saddle in the manner of a stirrup.1456 Hay II 47/10.
Item, masse is gevin him, that betakenis strenth and force of curage, the quhilk masse is lyknyt till a false sterap 1456 Hay II 47/17.
Quhen he has implyde his spere, his lang suerde, his polax, his false sterap and his falow be sa nere him that he may nocht help himself with nane of thay, than [etc.] 1494 Loutfut MS 112b.
Thir ar the wapinnis that is customed & wsit in singler batell within barreris … a sper of competent lenth a fals sterap or ane ax, a lang suerd [etc.]
c. ? A footrest.1576 Treas. Acc. XIII 146.
Item half ane elne reid crammosie velvot to be ane stirrop to his grace chyre
2. A (? hoop- or U-shaped) clamp, support, fixing or the like a. For a lamp or bell. b. For a barrow, etc. c. In other uses.a. a1500 Coll. St. Salvator 162.
Thre stirrapis for the lampys 1513 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 190.
Item for twa sterappis to the bell iiijdb. 1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 40.
Ane stirrop to ane sand cart 1531–2 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 73.
For vi pund new maid irne work in tua stirroppis for ane how barrow for service of colis 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 184.
For … viii stirrapis to iiii stane sladis 1539–41 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 289.
For vi irne sterappis to the said barrowis … v s. 1546–7 Ayr Common Good Acc.
For four burdis to be ane how barrow vj s. viij d. … for styrroppis of irne thairto xviij d. 1552–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I 84.
For vj irne stirroppis to the barrois v s. 1552–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I 95.
For mending of the irne gavilloks and the stirroppis of the how barrowis 1560 Edinb. Old Acc. II 97.
Twa stirreppis to the creddill 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 126.
For fyve stiroppes of irone weying fyve pound wecht to the extrie of the cart 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 323.
Stirripis 1644 Army of the Covenant I 34.
Spare stirrops for the canon cariages eighteene paires(b) 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 126.
For sum starupes to quheilbarrowesc. 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I 265.
Thir naills were usit to the bousteris and stirropis of the said myln 1583 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 176.
For … ane new gugeoun … & the mending of the twa stirroppis that the gugeonis rynnis in 1599 Edinb. B. Rec. V 371.
For thrie stirripis maid of irne to the said yarne wyndillis 13 s. 4 d. 1601 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 771.
For makeng of ane key to the southe ile dur and ane stirrep to the loft xv s. 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 30.
For 2 iron stiripes for to brydle a parte of the ruiff of the foirentre 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 444.
[For an iron] stirop [to] brydle [the foots of the couples for the house next to the garden](b) 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I 144.
To Johne Ahannay for ane stane and xiiij punds wecht of greit irne wark, viz., crampetts, steirroppis, and botts(c) 1647 Dumfries Treas. Acc. MS 11.
To be twa storupis to stent a tow to hinder the people for troubling the horse
3. A strap intended to pass round the instep, attached to or part of a footless stocking. Cf. stirup hois in 4 below.1685 New Mills Manuf. 87.
Noe more silk or worset stockens be made with stirups
4. attrib. a. Stirrope girth, appar. a means of attachment ? of the cushion or pad to the stirrup (cf. collar gyrth (Treas. Acc. IX 331, quoted s.v. Sterap leddir n.). b. Stirup hois (stockings), footless stockings with a strap to pass round the foot, see 3 above. c. Starrap nail, a nail for fixing a clamp or the like in sense 2 above.a. 1561 Treas. Acc. XI 66.
vj cussinettis, ilk cussinat haifand ane stirrope girth stuffit witht downisb. 1643 Edinb. Test. LX 235b.
Aucht pair of stirvp hois estimat all to xiiij lib. viij s. 1665 Buccleuch Mun. II 485.
Each groome which resaves his liverie hath one pair of whole stockings 5 s. a pair and one pair of sturrop stockings at 3 s.c. 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I 263.
For ij starrap naills to the Wester myln, iij s.
