Skip to content
Vinony

stilt

noun

  1. genus of birds
L28028 on Wikidata ↗

verb

No English definition recorded for this entry.

L28029 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /stɪlt/

noun

Etymology: From Middle English stilte, stulte, from Old English *stilte, *stylte, from Proto-Germanic *stiltijǭ, *staltijǭ, *stultijǭ (“stilt”), from Proto-Germanic *stelt- (“to be stiff”). Akin to Danish stylte, Dutch stelt, German Stelze.

  1. Either of two poles with footrests that allow someone to stand or walk above the ground; used mostly by entertainers.
  2. A tall pillar or post used to support some structure; often above water.
  3. Any of various wading birds of the genera Himantopus and Cladorhynchus, related to the avocet, that have extremely long legs and long thin bills.
  4. A crutch.
  5. The handle of a plough.

    “He[…]shot MacLaren when between the stilts of his plough,[…]”

verb

Etymology: From Middle English stilte, stulte, from Old English *stilte, *stylte, from Proto-Germanic *stiltijǭ, *staltijǭ, *stultijǭ (“stilt”), from Proto-Germanic *stelt- (“to be stiff”). Akin to Danish stylte, Dutch stelt, German Stelze.

  1. to raise on stilts, or as if on stilts
  2. to apply unnecessary pomp or formality