steven
English
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Middle English steven (“voice, command, constitution”), from Old English stefn (“voice”), from Proto-Germanic *stebnō (“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)
- (Northern England, Scotland, obsolete) Voice, especially when loud or strong.
- 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
- 17th c., Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne:
- When Little John heard his master speake, / Well knew he it was his steven.
- a. 1801 Richard Gall, Poems & Songs (1819) 93:
- Then could her Sangsters loud their steven raise.
- 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.
- 1865, William Stott Banks, List Provinc. Words Wakefield:
- Thah's a rare stevven, lad.
- 1880, Sidney Lanier, Sir Thomas Malory, Alfred Kappes, The Boy's King Arthur:
- Then Sir Launcelot said with dreary steeven [voice], “Sir bishop, I pray you give to me all my rights that longeth to a Christian man.”
- a. 1886 Eric Mackay, Love Lett. Violinist (1895) 197:
- He […] lifted up his steven To keep the bulwarks of his faith secure.
- 1566, William Addlington, translator, The Golden Asse, Apuleius
- (Can we verify(+) this sense?) (obsolete) Request, petition, prayer, or command.
- 1460, Towneley Plays (1994) I.ii.17:
- God that shope both erth and heuen, I pray to the thou here my steven.
- a. 1500 "Hymns to Virgin, etc. (E. E. T. S.), p. 6":
- To thee, lady, y make my moon; I praie thee heere my steuen.
- 1589, Thomas Lodge, Scillaes Metamorphosis E 2:
- Father of light […] Bring to effect this my desired steauen.
- 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.
- 1460, Towneley Plays (1994) I.ii.17:
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
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)
- (Can we verify(+) this sense?) (obsolete) A time, occasion.
- 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 [...].
- 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.
- 1894, Reginald Brimley Johnson, Popular British Ballads, Ancient and Modern, page 167, "Robin Hood":
- Let us some masteries make,
- And we will walk in the woods even;
- We may chance meet with Robin Hood
- Here at some unset steven.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VIII:
Further reading
- “steven”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
- “steven”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “steven”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
Anagrams
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutch stēvene.
Pronunciation
Noun
steven m (plural stevens)
- the part of a ship's deck that stretches along the entire length of the keel including the bow and the stern
Derived terms
Anagrams
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Old English stefn, stemn (“voice, sound”). More at steven.
Alternative forms
Noun
steven (plural stevens)
- The voice of a human being; a voice.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “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.
- A vocal sound.
- sound; tonal pattern.
- Manner of speaking.
Etymology 2
From Old English stefn (“appointed time”).
Alternative forms
Noun
steven
- 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.
- c. 1385, Geoffrey Chaucer, ‘The Knight's Tale’, Canterbury Tales:
- 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)
Scots
Alternative forms
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)
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