A cover or protection for the finger, usually of leather, e.g., the finger of a glove, used in some handicrafts, in dissection, or when the finger is injured or diseased.
1483. Cath. Angl., 131/2. A Fyngyr stalle, digitale.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, II. xxiv. 175. Foxe glove hath … fayre, long, round, hollow floures fashioned like fingar stalles.
1606. Holland, Sueton., 74. The fore-finger of his right hand hee perceived otherwhiles to be so weake, that being benummed and shrunke by a crampe upon some colde, he could hardly set it to any writing, with the helpe of an hoope and finger-stall of horne.
1643. J. Steer, trans. Exp. Chyrurg., xv. 64. I had in readines finger-stalls made of Leather, which put upon the tops of the Fingers.
1832. Babbage, Econ. Manuf., i. (ed. 3), 14. The child puts on the forefinger of its right hand a small cloth cap or finger-stall, and rolling out of the heap from six to twelve needles, he keeps them down by the forefinger of the left hand, whilst he presses the forefinger of the right hand gently against their ends.
1879. Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Word-bk., 148. ‘I cut my finger, but I clapt a finger-stall on an’ went at it as if nuthin’ wuz the matter.’
