steven

See also: Steven, Stephen, and Stéven

English

Alternative forms

• steaven, stevven, stevvon
• steavyn, stevin (15th-16th centuries)
• stewyn, stewyne, stewin, stevyne (Scotland)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈstiːvən/

Etymology 1

From Middle English steven ‎(“voice, command, constitution”), from Old English stefn, stemn ‎(“voice”), from Proto-Germanic *stebnō, *stamnijō ‎(“voice”), from Proto-Indo-European *stomen- ‎(“mouth, muzzle”). Cognate with Old Frisian stifne, stemme ‎(“voice”), Old Saxon stemna ‎(“voice”) (Dutch stem), Old High German stimma, stimna ‎(“voice”) (German Stimme), Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐌹𐌱𐌽𐌰 ‎(stibna, “voice”), Ancient Greek στόμα ‎(stóma, “mouth”). See also stevvon.

Noun

steven ‎(plural stevens)

1. (Britain dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) The voice, now especially when loud or strong.
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter xij, in Le Morte Darthur, book XXI:

     Soo wythin syx wekye after syr Launcelot fyl seek and laye in his bedde & thenne he sente for the bysshop that there was heremyte and al his trewe felowes / Than Syr Launcelot sayd wyth drery steuen / syr bysshop I praye you gyue to me al my ryghtes that longeth to a chrysten man

   • a1801, Richard Gall, Poems & Songs (1819) 93:

     Then could her Sangsters loud their steven raise.

   • 1865, William Stott Banks, List Provinc. Words Wakefield:

     Thah's a rare stevven, lad.

   • a1886, Eric Mackay, Love Lett. Violinist (1895) 197:

     He […] lifted up his steven To keep the bulwarks of his faith secure.

2. (obsolete) Speech, language.
3. (obsolete) Voice; cry; that which is uttered; petition; prayer.
   • a1500 (1460), Towneley Plays (1994) I.ii.17:

     God that shope both erth and heuen, I pray to the thou here my steven.

   • 1589, Thomas Lodge, Scillaes Metamorphosis E 2:

     Father of light […] Bring to effect this my desired steauen.

4. (obsolete) A word, command, bidding or direction given.
   • 1597, Thomas Middleton, Wisdome of Solomon Paraphr. xviii. xiv–xvi. sig. Y3v:

     And brought thy precept? as a burning steauen, Reaching from heauen to earth, from earth to heauen.

5. (archaic) A promise, one's word.
6. (obsolete) An outcry, shout, or loud call; a clamour/clamor, noise; din.
   • 1826, James Hogg, Queen Hynde vi, in Poems (1865) 262:

     All nature roar'd in one dire steven; Heaven cried to earth, and earth to heaven.

7. (obsolete) A sound, the sound of a horn; melody, tune; song; sound made by an animal or a bird.
   • 1566, William Addlington, translator, The Golden Asse , Apuleius

     […] whereby the little birds weening that the spring time had bin come, did chirp and sing in their steven melodiously

Translations

voice — see voice

speech — see speech

a prayer — see prayer

command — see command

a promise — see promise

clamor — see clamor

tune — see tune

Verb

steven ‎(third-person singular simple present stevens, present participle stevening, simple past and past participle stevened)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To speak; utter; describe; tell of; name.
2. (transitive, obsolete) To voice an opinion; vote.
3. (transitive, archaic) To vouch; speak up (for).
4. (transitive, dialectal) To bespeak.
5. (intransitive, dialectal) To talk; call out; shout; make a noise.

Translations

to utter — see utter

to vote — see vote

to speak up (for) — see speak up

to bespeak — see bespeak

to call out — see call out

Related terms

• stevvon

Etymology 2

From Middle English steven ‎(“appointment”), from Old English stefn ‎(“a time, turn, tour of duty”), from Proto-Germanic *stabnijaz, *stabnijô ‎(“fixed time”), from Proto-Indo-European *stebh- ‎(“a stake, post; to support, stamp, insist, become angry”). Cognate with Middle Low German stevene ‎(“a court appointment”), Old Norse stefna ‎(“appointment, meeting”). More at staff.

Noun

steven ‎(plural stevens)

1. (obsolete) A time, occasion.
   • 1788, Samuel Johnson, George Steevens, The dramatick writings of Will. Shakspere, with the Notes of all the various Commentators:

     I should choose to read "at this dull season," rather than this dull steven, [...]— John Monck Mason.

2. (obsolete) A set time; a date or appointment.
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VIII:

     And that same nyght that the steavyn was sette betwyxte Segwarydes wyff and Sir Trystrames, so Kynge Marke armed and made hym redy [...].

Verb

steven ‎(third-person singular simple present stevens, present participle stevening, simple past and past participle stevened)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To call; summon; command; appoint.
2. (intransitive, obsolete) To alternate; take turns.

Derived terms

• to set steven
• unset steven

See also

• even steven

External links

• steven at OneLook Dictionary Search
• steven in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• steven in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams

• events

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Dutch

Wikipedia ^nl

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ste‧ven

Etymology

From Middle Dutch stēvene.

Noun

steven m ‎(plural stevens)

1. the part of a ship's deck that stretches along the entire length of the keel including the bow and the stern

Derived terms

• voorsteven
• achtersteven
• ramsteven

Anagrams

• tevens

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Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English stefn, stemn ‎(“voice, sound”). More at steven.

Alternative forms

• stevin, steiven, stephene, steavene, steme, stemne

Noun

steven (plural stevens)

1. The voice of a human being; a voice.
2. A vocal sound.
3. sound; tonal pattern.
4. Manner of speaking.

Etymology 2

From Old English stefn ‎(“appointed time”).

Alternative forms

• stemne
• stevene

Noun

steven

1. time, set time, appointment
   • c. 1385, Geoffrey Chaucer, ‘The Knight's Tale’, Canterbury Tales:

     It is ful fair a man to bere hym euene, / For al day meeten men at vnset steuene.

2. period of time, occasion
   • 1398, John Trevisa, trans. Bartholomaeus, De Proprietatibus Rerum:
   • Suche stenche is continual and comeþ nouȝt by stemnes.‎

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

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Scots

Alternative forms

• stevin
• stewyn

Etymology

From Middle English stewin, from Old English stefn ‎(“voice”), from Proto-Germanic *stebnō, *stamnijō ‎(“voice”), from Proto-Indo-European *stomen- ‎(“mouth, muzzle”). Cognates: see above, steven.

Noun

steven ‎(plural stevens)

1. voice
2. a loud outcry