Stain"less, a. Free from stain; immaculate. Shak.
The veery care he took to keep his name Stainless, with some was
evidence of shame.
Crabbe.
Syn. -- Blameless; spotless; faultless. See Blameless.
Stain"less*ly, adv. In a stainless manner.
Stair (?), n. [OE. steir, steyer, AS. st&?;ger, from &?;igan to ascend,
rise. √164. See Sty to ascend.] 1. One step of a series for
ascending or descending to a different level; -- commonly applied to
those within a building.
2. A series of steps, as for passing from one story of a house to
another; -- commonly used in the plural; but originally used in the
singular only. "I a winding stair found." Chaucer's Dream.
Below stairs, in the basement or lower part of a house, where the
servants are. -- Flight of stairs, the stairs which make the whole
ascent of a story. -- Pair of stairs, a set or flight of stairs. --
pair, in this phrase, having its old meaning of a set. See Pair, n., 1.
-- Run of stars (Arch.), a single set of stairs, or section of a
stairway, from one platform to the next. -- Stair rod, a rod, usually
of metal, for holding a stair carpet to its place. -- Up stairs. See
Upstairs in the Vocabulary.
Stair"case` (?), n. A flight of stairs with their supporting framework,
casing, balusters, etc.
To make a complete staircase is a curious piece of architecture.
Sir H. Wotton.
Staircase shell. (Zoöl.) (a) Any scalaria, or wentletrap. (b) Any
species of Solarium, or perspective shell.
Stair"head` (?), n. The head or top of a staircase.
Stair"way` (?), n. A flight of stairs or steps; a staircase. "A rude
and narrow stairway." Moore.
Staith (?), n. [AS. stæ&?; a bank, shore, from the root of E. stead.] A
landing place; an elevated staging upon a wharf for discharging coal,
etc., as from railway cars, into vessels.
Staith"man (?), n. A man employed in weighing and shipping at a staith.
[Eng.]
Stake (?), n. [AS. staca, from the root of E. stick; akin to OFries. &
LG. stake, D. staak, Sw. stake, Dan. stage. See Stick, v. t., and cf.
Estacade, Stockade.] 1. A piece of wood, usually long and slender,
pointed at one end so as to be easily driven into the ground as a
support or stay; as, a stake to support vines, fences, hedges, etc.
A sharpened stake strong Dryas found.
Dryden.
2. A stick inserted upright in a lop, eye, or mortise, at the side or
end of a cart, a flat car, or the like, to prevent goods from falling
off.
3. The piece of timber to which a martyr was affixed to be burned;
hence, martyrdom by fire.
4. A small anvil usually furnished with a tang to enter a hole in a
bench top, -- used by tinsmiths, blacksmiths, etc., for light work,
punching upon, etc.
5. That which is laid down as a wager; that which is staked or
hazarded; a pledge.
At stake, in danger; hazarded; pledged. "I see my reputation is at
stake." Shak.
Stake, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Staked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Staking.] 1. To
fasten, support, or defend with stakes; as, to stake vines or plants.
2. To mark the limits of by stakes; -- with out; as, to stake out land;
to stake out a new road.
3. To put at hazard upon the issue of competition, or upon a future
contingency; to wager; to pledge.
I'll stake yon lamb, that near the fountain plays.
Pope.