Stale

  • 11Stale — Stale, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Staled} (st[=a]ld); p. pr. & vb. n. {Staling}.] To make vapid or tasteless; to destroy the life, beauty, or use of; to wear out. [1913 Webster] Age can not wither her, nor custom stale Her infinite variety. Shak. [1913 …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 12stale — stale·ly; stale·ness; stale; …

    English syllables

  • 13stale — (adj.) c.1300, freed from dregs or lees (of ale, wine, etc.), i.e. having stood long enough to clear, cognate with M.Du. stel stale (of beer), and probably ultimately from P.Gmc. base *sta stand, the source of O.E. standan to stand, Perhaps via O …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 14stale — [adj1] old, decayed dried, dry, faded, fetid, flat, fusty, hard, insipid, malodorous, musty, noisome, parched, rank, reeking, smelly, sour, spoiled, stagnant, stenchy, stinking, tasteless, watery, weak, zestless; concepts 462,485,598 Ant. fresh,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 15stale — ► ADJECTIVE (staler, stalest) 1) (of food) no longer fresh or pleasant to eat. 2) no longer new and interesting. 3) no longer performing well because of having done something for too long. ► VERB ▪ make or become stale. DERIVATIVES …

    English terms dictionary

  • 16stale */ — UK [steɪl] / US adjective Word forms stale : adjective stale comparative staler superlative stalest 1) stale food such as bread is old and no longer fresh a packet of stale biscuits get/go stale: Wrap the bread up well or it ll go stale. 2) used… …

    English dictionary

  • 17stale´ly — stale1 «stayl», adjective, stal|er, stal|est, verb, staled, stal|ing. –adj. 1. that has lost some or all of its softness, flavor, or consistency through age; not fresh: » …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 18stale — [[t]ste͟ɪl[/t]] staler, stalest 1) ADJ GRADED Stale food is no longer fresh or good to eat. Their daily diet consisted of a lump of stale bread, a bowl of rice and stale water. Ant: fresh 2) ADJ GRADED Stale air or smells are unpleasant because… …

    English dictionary

  • 19stale — 1 adjective 1 bread or cake that is stale is no longer fresh or good to eat: go stale: This loaf has gone stale. 2 air that is stale is not fresh or pleasant 3 news or jokes that are stale are no longer interesting or exciting: the same stale old …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 20stale — I [[t]steɪl[/t]] adj. stal•er, stal•est, 1) not fresh; vapid or flat, as beverages; dry or hardened, as bread 2) musty; stagnant: stale air[/ex] 3) hackneyed; trite: a stale joke[/ex] 4) having lost interest, initiative, or the like, as from… …

    From formal English to slang