Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A stake.
  • noun A round of a ladder.
  • noun A stave in the side of a wagon.
  • noun A large pole by which barges are propelled against the stream; a poy.
  • adjective Tall; large; stout.
  • adjective Strong; powerful; hardy; robust; sturdy.
  • adjective Bold; audacious.
  • adjective Rough in manner; stern; austere; ill-tempered.
  • adjective (of a voice) Rough; hoarse; deep-toned; harsh.
  • adjective (of land or cloth) Stiff; inflexible.
  • adverb Severely; strongly.
  • noun obsolete An armed battle or conflict.
  • noun obsolete A time of struggle or stress.
  • noun now dialectal Tumult, commotion; confusion.
  • noun dialect A blowing or deposit of dust.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English stoor, stour ("large, powerful"), from Old English stōr ("large, great, strong, violent"), from Proto-Germanic *stōraz, *stōrijaz (“great, big, strong”), from Proto-Indo-European *stār-, *stōr- (“big, thick, old”). Akin to Scots stour ("tall, large, great, stout"), Eastern Frisian stor ("great, many"), Low German stur ("large"), Danish and Swedish stor ("large, great"), Icelandic stórr ("large, tall"), Polish stary ("old, ancient") and probably Albanian shtoj ("I add, increase"). Compare also stoor, steer.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English stour, stor ("conflict") from Anglo-Norman estur ("conflict, struggle"), from Old French estour, estor, estorme, estourmie, estormie ("battle, assault, conflict, tumult"), from Frankish *sturm (“storm, commotion, battle”), from Proto-Germanic *sturmaz (“storm”). Akin to Old High German sturm ("battle, storm"). More at storm.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English stoure, stourre, from Old Norse staurr ("a stake, pale"), from Proto-Germanic *stauraz (“pole, support”), from Proto-Indo-European *stā- (“to stand, place”). Cognate with Icelandic staur ("a stake, pole"), Ancient Greek σταυρός ("a stake, cross").

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