Stool of repentance

Stool Stool, n. [AS. st[=o]l a seat; akin to OFries. & OS. st[=o]l, D. stoel, G. stuhl, OHG. stuol, Icel. st[=o]ll, Sw. & Dan. stol, Goth. st[=o]ls, Lith. stalas a table, Russ. stol'; from the root of E. stand. [root]163. See {Stand}, and cf. {Fauteuil}.] 1. A single seat with three or four legs and without a back, made in various forms for various uses. [1913 Webster]

2. A seat used in evacuating the bowels; hence, an evacuation; a discharge from the bowels. [1913 Webster]

3. A stool pigeon, or decoy bird. [U. S.] [1913 Webster]

4. (Naut.) A small channel on the side of a vessel, for the dead-eyes of the backstays. --Totten. [1913 Webster]

5. A bishop's seat or see; a bishop-stool. --J. P. Peters. [1913 Webster]

6. A bench or form for resting the feet or the knees; a footstool; as, a kneeling stool. [1913 Webster]

7. Material, such as oyster shells, spread on the sea bottom for oyster spat to adhere to. [Local, U.S.] [1913 Webster]

{Stool of a window}, or {Window stool} (Arch.), the flat piece upon which the window shuts down, and which corresponds to the sill of a door; in the United States, the narrow shelf fitted on the inside against the actual sill upon which the sash descends. This is called a window seat when broad and low enough to be used as a seat.

{Stool of repentance}, the cuttystool. [Scot.]

{Stool pigeon}, a pigeon used as a decoy to draw others within a net; hence, a person used as a decoy for others. [1913 Webster]