Also 3 stabell, 3, 5 stabel, 3–6 stabul, stabil, 4, 6 stabile, 4–6 stabyll, 5 stabyl(le, stabull, 5–6 stabill, (sstabylle), 5 (Caxton) estable. [a. OF. stable, estable (mod.F. stable):—L. stabilem f. sta- root of stāre to stand: see -BLE. Cf. Sp. estable, Pg. estavel, It. stabile.
The L. adj. has two primary etymological meanings: (1) with passive force of the suffix, that a person or thing can stand upon, firm as a support or foundation; (2) actively, able to stand, not liable to fall, secure; also (esp. of persons) standing one’s ground, not to be driven back, steadfast. In figurative uses these senses are often blended. The Eng. word has most of the meanings of the Latin.]
1. Able to remain erect; secure against falling or being overthrown.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 10121. Do me to passe þe dikes ouer, Þar þe castel standes stable [v.r. stabil, stabul].
a. 1591. H. Smith, Serm. (1637), 268. He which is tottering himselfe, had neede leane unto a stable thing.
1872. Blackie, Lays Highl., 76. The master-builder-bold Who reared this stable pile.
1909. C. C. Turner, Aerial Navig. of To-day, viii. (1910), 123. The bicycle is not stable. It depends upon motion and the manipulation of the handles.
fig. 1599. Davies, Nosce Teipsum, VIII. xxxvii. (1714), 58. The perfect Angels were not stable, But had a Fall more desperate than we.
1869. McLaren, Serm., Ser. II. vii. 120. If we are to be stable amidst earthquakes and storms, we must be built on the Rock and build rock-like upon it.
Comb. 1725. Armstrong, Imit. Shaks., 185. That rock the stable-planted towers.
b. Of a support or foundation: Firm, not likely to give way. lit. and fig.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 587. Ȝe were alle … bred of þat modur Þat is stable to stonde … And þe erþe is called.
1604. Earl Stirling, Aurora, Song iii. D 1. Hauing followed ore the stable ground.
1788. Priestley, Lect. Hist., V. xlix. 364. The only stable foundation of most of the improvements in social life is Agriculture.
1801. Strutt, Sports & Past., III. i. 126. The ground within hard, stable, and level.
1811. Pinkerton, Petral., II. 338. Such pieces of scoriæ as … were capable of affording a stable support.
1820. Scoresby, Acc. Arctic Reg., I. 256. It often affords a stable mooring to a ship.
1845. Darwin, Voy. Nat., viii. (1879), 144. A government which as yet has never rested on any stable foundation.
1871. Blackie, Four Phases Morals, i. 24. A stable physical platform to stand on.
c. Firm in consistency, solid. Now rare.
1666. Boyle, Orig. Formes & Qual., 76. The Texture, is … vnlesse it be very stable and permanent,… very much alter’d. Ibid., 422. Alterations … mixtures can perform among Bodies, both of them fluid, as well as among those that were either both of them stable, or one of them stable and the other consistent.
1691. Ray, Creation, I. (1704), 70. Providence hath given to the solid and stable parts a two-fold Power.
1878. Stevenson, Inland Voy., 103. The shadows lay as solid on the swift surface of the stream as on the stable meadows.
2. Stationary, keeping to one place.
† a. of persons or their dwellings. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 15154. Iesus þam prechand ilk a dai Stable in temple stod.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 597. He þat stod þe long day stable.
1422. Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 215. Sum of the hoste shall stabill bene in oone Place.
1687. P. Ayres, Lyric Poems, ‘Spring’ (1906), 311. The stable mother [the sea] of those straggling sons [the rivers].
1775. R. Chandler, Trav. Asia M. (1825), I. 136. A people … not forming villages or towns with stable habitations, but flitting from place to place.
b. Of material material things: Not shifting or fluctuating in position.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxxviii. (1856), 353. Some seventy miles from the nearest stable ice.
1861. Buckle, Civiliz., II. vii. 368. The surface of our planet, even where it appears perfectly stable is constantly undergoing most extensive changes.
1862. Dana, Man. Geol., 390. It, however, did not reach north to the Azoic of New York, which was still a portion of the stable part of the continent.
3. Of a material thing or its condition: Able to maintain its place or position; presenting resistance to displacement; not easily shaken or dislodged. Stable equilibrium: see EQUILIBRIUM 1.
1560. Bible (Geneva), 1 Chron. xvi. 30. Surely the worlde shal be stable and not moue.
1829. Nat. Philos., Mechanics, I. iv. 18 (U. K. S.). Of these two positions in which it is possible for the body to rest, the former is called instable, and the latter stable, equilibrium.
1871. B. Stewart, Heat, 45. That the particles may have time to assume their most stable position.
1889. Welch, Text Bk. Naval Archit., ii. 19. If a ship when slightly inclined in any particular direction from her position of rest returns towards that position when the inclining forces are removed, it is said to be in stable equilibrium.
b. Of a system of bodies: Having a permanent structure or constitution; not liable to disintegration.
1839. Moseley, Astron., lxxvii. (1854), 216. The system of Planets is stable, the System of Comets is unstable.
1845. Whewell, Indic. Creator, 52. The state of the solar system is stable.
c. Of a chemical compound or combination: Not at once decomposing.
Stable dextrin: the fifth or remaining amylin group after the other four amylin groups in starch have been split off by the action of diastene.
1850. Daubeny, Atom. Theory, vii. (ed. 2), 190. These compounds are … much less stable, being decomposed by very slight causes.
1862. H. Spencer, First Princ., II. xiii. § 101 (1875), 293. Stable compounds contain comparatively little molecular motion.
1900. Jrnl. Soc. Dyers, XVI. 6. Causing the indigo white to separate out in a stable condition.
4. Not liable to fail or vary.
a. Of government, institutions, customs, etc.: Securely established; not liable to destruction or essential change. Often with fig. notion of 1.
c. 1290. St. Oswold, 5, in S. Eng. Leg., 45. For he was king are cristindom puyrliche stable were.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 233. Thei [pity and justice] … ben of vertu most vailable To make a kinges regne stable.
c. 1520. Nisbet, N. T., Epist. O. Test. (S.T.S.), III. 277. And thar salbe na mark nor na terme of his kingdom, and he sal mak it stabile in the wed of beleue.
1574. Mirr. Mag., Albanact, lvi. But … as no state can stable stande for aye.
c. 1610. Women Saints, 37. It was thought that this new kingdome would not be stable and firme for long continuance, vnlesse they had wiues of their owne nation.
1849–50. Alison, Hist. Europe, I. iv. § 18. 446. Men … deemed present institutions stable, because they had never seen them shaken.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. v. 412. His kingdom demanded the security of a stable succession.
1911. Seligmann, Veddas, i. 35. Vijaya found some sort of stable political organization on his arrival in the island [of Ceylon].
† b. Of a law, covenant, promise, etc.: Firm, not to be repealed or retracted. Phrases, to hold (something) stable, to stand stable. Obs.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 6430. Þis word was iholde stable & iloked uor dom.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerk’s T., 663. But now I woot youre lust and what ye wolde Al youre plesance ferme and stable I holde.
c. 1450. Godstow Reg., 31. Holdynge ferme & stable what euyr he wolde do ther-with, & neuyr to haue more clayme, ne eny of hys eyrys, for euyr-more.
1464. Rolls of Parlt., V. 529/2. That almaner Yeftes and Grauntes … made, stand ferme and stable.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, II. i. (1883), 21. Therfore hym ought to saye no thynge but yf hit were veritable and stable.
1533. City Lond. Let. Bk. O lf. 213, in Vicary’s Anat. (1888), App. xiv. 264. This present graunte … shall … be contynewed ferme and stable as concernyng the sayde Barbour-surgeons.
1543–4. Act 35 Hen. VIII., c. 9. The which order … shall stande firme and stable, and for a full determinate order.
1759. in Nairne Peerage Evid. (1874), 65. All which I oblige me to hold firm and stable without revocation.
† c. Of faith, resolve, love, friendship, etc.: Not changing, constant. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 26158. We hope he sal haue for-giuenes, For þe trouth and stabil fai Þat he was in in his last dai.
c. 1340. Hampole, Prose Treat., 7. And for-thy I had na stabyll purpos in gude, na perfite contrycyone.
1402. Hoccleve, Let. Cupid, 147. In womman regneth stable constance.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 74. Full contricion wyth schryft, full charite wythout feynyng, and stabull fayth wythout flateryng.
1549–62. Sternhold & H., Ps. li. 10 (2nd vers.). Within my bowels Lord, renue a stable sprite.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 484. There shal be from henceforward … stable friendship, betwene the same realmes.
c. 1610. Women Saints, 51. An husband immortall, whose death may not grieue me, and whose loue shall be constant and stable.
† d. Of counsel, judgment, intellect: Trustworthy, sound. Obs.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 1245. & as he & is conseil stable conseil nome Þe lettres he sende to Iuli þe emperour of rome. Ibid., 11489.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1423. Yche wegh þat is wise & of wit stable.
1477. Norton, Ord. Alch., i. in Ashm. (1652), 14. For his Trewth, Vertue, and for his stable Witt.
e. Of a doctrine, theory, conclusion: Securely established, not likely to be disproved or found wanting.
1480. Caxton, Myrr., I. xiii. 42. Thus ben not the sciences muable but alleway ben estable and trewe.
1862. Ruskin, Unto this Last, Pref. It was … the first object of these papers to give an accurate and stable definition of wealth.
1891. J. W. Williams, in Hardwicke’s Sci.-Gossip, XXVII. 73/1. There would be no harm done even if with further research it led to no good and stable result.
† f. Permanent; of durable nature or quality.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 26770. Bot þat þi stabil pes mai last To crist þou hald þi penance fast.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 57. Gete þe stabyl richesse, a lyf þat may noght be chaungyd, a kyngdome ay lastand dilatable. Ibid., 62. Brekand allyance stabyl ffor welfare and profyt of men.
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 113. They bestow their money in stable things, to serve their posteritie.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1655), I. IV. vii. 172. I am not setled yet in any stable condition, but I lie Windbound at the Cape of Good Hope.
1660. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), XIII. 615/1. Some pertain … to … the pleasure which consists in motion; others to felicity itself, (as that of indolence and tranquility or stable pleasure).
1683. Snape, Anat. Horse (1686), App. I. i. 11. At the end of the fourth day, the Stalk tending upwards, (the outer or Sheath-leaf being loosened) puts forth the Stable-leaf [L. folium stabile] that is green and folded.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., I. 168. How I dreamt Of stable pleasures on the tossing wave?
† g. Of a language: Having fixed meanings. Obs. rare.
1679. Dryden, Troilus & Cr., Ep. Ded. I am often put to a stand … And have no other way to clear my doubts, but by translating my English into Latine, and thereby trying what sence the words will bear in a more stable language.
† h. Math. CONSTANT a. 5. Obs.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Calculus, Stable Quantities being always express’d by the first Letters of the alphabet.
i. Of properties, movements, agencies, etc.: Persisting without essential or permanent change of character.
1742. Hume, Ess. & Treat. (1777), I. 115. When the event is supposed to proceed from certain and stable causes.
1878. Tait & Stewart, Unseen Univ., vi. § 179. 182. Two kinds, one of which makes use of the stable forces of nature and the other of the unstable.
1884. trans. Lotze’s Logic, 32. In … metal where there is no difficulty in regarding the marks of colour, brilliancy, and hardness as stable properties of that which they describe.
j. Of animal or vegetable species: Unvarying.
1889. A. R. Wallace, Darwinism (1890), 42. Wild animals and plants, it is said, are usually stable.
† 5. Of look or countenance: Steady, unabashed.
c. 1440. Generydes, 1988. Beholdyng them with countenaunce right stabill.
c. 1475. Babees Bk., 65. And yf they speke withe yow at youre komynge, Withe stable Eye loke vpone theym Rihte.
1635. R. N., trans. Camden’s Hist. Eliz., III. 329. The Queene of Scots … with a stable and stedfast countenance … gave thanks to God.
6. Of persons and their dispositions.
a. Steadfast in purpose or resolution; settled in character, not fickle, changeable or frivolous. In early use also, † Trustworthy, sound in counsel or judgment. Phrase, † To stand stable.
a. 1275. Prov. Ælfred, 673, in O. E. Misc. Ac nim þe to þe a stable mon, Þat word and dede bi-sette con.
c. 1290. Beket, 240, in S. Eng. Leg., 113. Of þe Ercedekne Thomas, Men tolden him sone i-nouȝ, hov he was stable Man and wis, and to alle guodnesse drouȝ.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. X. 110. Hold þe stable and studefast And strengþe þi-seluen.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VI. xii. (1495), 196. Men ben more wyse and wytty, more stedfaste and stable than wymmen.
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet, Ord. Nuns, 142. To þam þat … standis stabill in-to þe purpose þat þa be-gane, it is [etc.].
c. 1450. Holland, Howlat, 174. Stable and steidfast, tender and trewe.
1500. Ortus Vocab., Continens, stable or chaste.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xx. 43. Hald God thy freind, evir stabill be him stand.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 86 b. Let vs be stable and neuer loke backwarde agayne to the worlde.
1588. A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 46. It is the Apostolicke doctrine, to stand firme, and stabill in ye traditions also quhilk ar nocht within.
† b. const. of, in (thoughts, purposes, words, etc.); cf. senses 4 c, 4 d. Obs.
c. 1290. St. Michael, 675, in S. Eng. Leg., 319. Ho-so hath of þe eorþe mest he is slouȝ ase þe Asse,… Sone old and nouȝt willesfol stable and studefast of mod.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 384. Þou art also so trewe a kyng, And stable of þouȝt in alle þyng.
a. 1375. Joseph Arim., 245. Bote beo ȝe stable in oure fei and foloweþ vre werkes.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxxi. 139. All gude Cristen men, þat er stable in þe faith, may ga in to þat valay.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 10654. Ector … was stithist of stoure, stabill of hert.
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 97. Considering the … promesse that he had made with Medea [Jason] abode ferme and stable in his firste purpoos.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 1671. And of thi wordis beis trew and stable.
1552. Bk. Com. Prayer, Ordering of Deacons, Continuing euer stable and strong in thy sonne Christe.
1678. Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 34. Things to make me stable In what I have began to take in hand.
† c. Constant in affection. Const. to. Obs.
13[?]. Cato, 214, in Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS., 570. Hose feyneþ him frend with word And not wiþ herte stable.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Compl. Mars, 281. Ye, my ladyes, that ben true and stable. Ibid. (c. 1386), Clerk’s T., 931. And to hire housbonde euere meke and stable.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 16. The god of love is favorable To hem that ben of love stable.
† d. In a bad sense: Persistent. Obs.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 471/2. Stable, and a-bydyng yn malyce, pervicax, pertinax.
† e. Strong, capable of endurance. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 13. His [sc. King Arthur’s] knythes … Als wawan, cai, and other stabell.
13[?]. Evang. Nicod., 150 (MS. Harley). He bad þam tak men more myghty, Strang and stabyll of state.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 98. Holy Helyas … Made stronge in spirite fourty dayes went In his journay, the brede made hym so stable.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 741. Ane stere knyght, stalwart and stabill.
† f. Of God or a deity: Unchangeable. Obs.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 346. A god ne sholde nat be thus agreued But of hys deitee he shal be stable. Ibid. (c. 1386), Frankl. T., 143. That semen rather a foul confusion Of werk than any fair creacion Of swich a parfit wys god and a stable.
1700. Dryden, Pal. & Arc., III. 1046. He perfect, stable; but imperfect We, Subject to Change, and diff’rent in Degree.
