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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.

Stob, Stab, v.¹ Also: stobe, stobbe. P.t. also stobt. P.p. also staubit, stoobed. [e.m.E. stobyd p.t. (1529), stabbe (1530), stab (1585-7); Stob n.¹ and Stob n.²]

1. intr. To thrust with a (usually, pointed) weapon.(a) 1375 Barb. xix 545.
Than suld the laiff the forouth ar Stab doune with speres sturdely 1375 Barb. xix 565.
Thai stabbit, stekit, and thai slew 1513 Doug. iii x 6.
A monstre horribyll, … gan to stab and graip … With hys burdon(b) 1535 Stewart 9673.
To cut throttis, to stob, to stik and gor 1640 Lithgow Poet. Remains 165.
The irne is blunt, till toold, and edge be put, And then most sharpe, to stobbe, to shave, or cut 1673 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. IV 45.
They … with drawne swords stobbed in and about the beds

b. ? To thrust with the foot, aim a kick. c1590 Fowler I 262/12.
Yow … Would sig[h]te to see vs hogsheades hogsheads drink, And apish lye … with bootes in bonfyres for to stobe and skink

2. tr. To wound (a person) or pierce (an object) with a thrust from a pointed weapon.pres. a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 102.
The remanent thay drave to Leyth lyke sheip stobbing and dunting thayme with speares 1616 Misc. Hist. Soc. II 191.
He … dreu his dager to stob my father at vnwars 1632 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. IV 473.
[The minister] caused tortour the complainer with bow strings, stob her with preins [etc.] 1643 Fugitive Poetry II xx 9/12.
Most choise weapons our men to goare & stob 1667 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II 323.
They would not care much to stob a minister for ther religion and therafter take banishment 1669 Jus Populi (1669) 227.
[To] put hands in his Majesty, and stob him under the fift rib 1670 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III 241.
[A great number of vagabonds] … having entered within the saids compleaners dwelling house with drawne swords and durks … stobbing the bedds and other placesp.t. 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. I 33.
With twenty eight wounds in the breast he stob'd him a1651 Calderwood VI 709.
He dreamed, that when he was putt to the horne, he stobbed the bishop through with a rapper 1660 Lithgow Poet. Remains 269.
Who would but think that Brute and Cassius part With all the rest that stob'd him to the heart 1662 Lamont Diary 159.
George Auchmowtie … stobed a man wpon the streit 1699 Argyll Justic. Rec. I 175.
He … assaulted the said Mary with ane drawn durk and stobt and wounded her mortallyp.p. 1629 Boyd Last B. 458.
How manie good and godlie persons haue their husbands … stobbed in duells, … killed in warre a1650 Row 304.
The bastard Bishop Hamiltoun was hang'd, And Cardinall Beatoun stob'd(b) a1538 Abell 21b.
Gewand ane similitude of a man beand staubit and wald nocht lat remofe the fleis fra him(c) 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 103.
God, sire, hath suffered you to be stoobed in the mouth

b. p.p. Of a horse's hoof: Pierced (by a sharp object). 1616 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 60.
For healling of the dune hors that wes stabbit in the futte 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 72.
For dressing of the fleck hors stobbit in the soill