Skip to content
Vinony

sterling

noun

No English definition recorded for this entry.

L328505 on Wikidata ↗

adjective

No English definition recorded for this entry.

L340781 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈstɜːlɪŋ/ / /ˈstɜɹlɪŋ/ / /ˈstɛɾlɪŋ/ / /ˈstɜː.lɪŋ/ / /ˈstɝ.lɪŋ/

adj

Etymology: From Middle English sterling, possibly from Old English *steorling, from steorra (“star”) and -ling, in reference to the stars that appeared on certain English pennies. Alternatively, the first element may be *stēre, meaning “strong” or “stout” (compare the etymology of solidus).

  1. Of or relating to the currency of the United Kingdom, or former types of English or British coinage.

    “[…] King William [the Lion] vvas to pay 100000. l. [pound] Striueling for his ranſome, the one half in preſent coin, the other 50000 l. vpon time.”

    “The Salaries of all the great Officers of this State, are very ſmall: I have already mentioned that of a Burgomaſter's of Amſterdam to be about fifty pounds ſterling a year: […]”

  2. Of silver: being of standard quality.
  3. Of a thing: of or relating to, or made from, sterling silver.

    “The ſterling mark upon plate, and the ſtamps upon linen and vvoollen cloth, give the purchaſer much greater ſecurity than any ſtatute of apprenticeſhip.”

    “[W]hat is baſe / No poliſh can make ſterling, […]”

  4. Of English (or (obsolete) Scottish) currency: genuine, of legal tender.

    “Pray thee peace, pay her the debt you ovve her, and vnpay the villany you haue done vvith her, the one you may doe vvith ſterling mony, and the other vvith currant repentance.”

    “[I]s this base annunciation a mere swindle on the incautious, to beguile them of their time, their patience, and three shillings of sterling money of this realm?”

  5. Of acknowledged influence; authoritative; also, of high or excellent quality; of proven worth.

    “[…] I knovv your Opinion is current and ſterling: […]”

    “This love, ſuppoſing it ſterling, I (ſtultus ego [I am foolish]!) return'd in kind: But I do not repent it.”

  6. Having currency (“general acceptance, recognition, or use”).

    “This waie of exerciſe was […] made ſterling agayne by M. Quintilian: […]”

    “And if my vvord be Sterling yet in England, / Let it command a Mirror hither ſtraight, / That it may ſhevv me vvhat a Face I haue, / Since it is Bankrupt of his Maieſtie.”

name

Etymology: See Stirling.

  1. A Scottish surname, variant of Stirling.
  2. An English surname, thought to be a variant of Starling.
  3. A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
  4. A number of places in the United States:
  5. A number of places in the United States:
  6. A number of places in the United States:
  7. A number of places in the United States:
  8. A number of places in the United States:
  9. A number of places in the United States:
  10. A number of places in the United States:
  11. A number of places in the United States:
  12. A number of places in the United States:
  13. A number of places in the United States:
  14. A number of places in the United States:
  15. A number of places in the United States:
  16. A number of places in the United States:
  17. A number of places in the United States:
  18. A number of places in the United States:
  19. A number of places in the United States:
  20. A number of places in the United States:
  21. A number of places in the United States:
  22. A number of places in the United States:
  23. A number of places in the United States:
  24. A number of places in the United States:
  25. A number of places in the United States:
  26. A number of places in the United States:
  27. A number of places in the United States:
  28. A number of places in the United States:

noun

Etymology: See starling (etymology 2).

  1. Obsolete form of starling (“an enclosure like a coffer-dam, formed of piles driven closely together before any structure or work, as a protection against the wash of waves, commonly used to protect the piers of a bridge”).

    “Near the bridge the bubbles rose large as oak-apples; he was kicking four webs together, having sighted the fish. The bubbles ended in another swirl by a weed-fringed sterling, and a delicate swift water-arrow shot away between the two piers of the middle arch—the peal, or sea-trout, had gone down, passing three inches off the snapt jaws.”