a. [ad. L. stagnant-em pres. pple. of stagnāre: see STAGNATE v. Cf. F. stagnant (1611 Cotgr.), It. stagnante.]
† 1. Of a fluid: That is at rest in a vessel. Obs.
1666. Boyle, Orig. Formes & Qual., 32. A parcel of Stagnant Quicksilver.
1719. F. Hauksbee, Phys.-Mech. Exper., v. (ed. 2), 101. The Orifice of that shorter Leg of such a Tube, must always be at least as far below the Surface of the stagnant Fluid, as that Height amounts to.
1721. Phil. Trans., XXXI. 206. The Needle so touch’d, being laid gently on the Surface of a stagnant Water, floated.
2. Not flowing or running, of water, air, etc.; without motion or current, as a pool. Often involving unwholesomeness.
1669. W. Simpson, Hydrol. Chym., 326. Oaken vessels … if the water … were stagnant, could not move thereon half so well.
1699. Dampier, Voy., II. II. iii. 82. Alligators … remain here till the Water drains off from the Land; and then confine themselves to the stagnant Ponds.
1773. Cook’s 1st Voy., III. xii. in Hawkesw., Voy., III. 723. All but Tupia fell a sacrifice to the unwholesome, stagnant, putrid air of the country.
1862. Miss Braddon, Lady Audley, i. The stagnant well.
1872. Yeats, Techn. Hist. Comm., 308. Experience teaches that in a small level the air and powder-smoke lie stagnant.
1880. W. MacCormac, Antiseptic Surg., 100. A stagnant and impure atmosphere and other such things were observed to influence their progress.
b. Applied to earth holding standing water.
1851. Glenny, Handbk. Fl. Gard., 10. These plants [Hepatica] require a well-drained border, and never succeed well in moist or stagnant earth.
3. fig. Void of activity, excitement or interest.
1749. Johnson, Irene, III. viii. Immur’d, and buried in perpetual Sloth, That gloomy Slumber of the stagnant Soul.
1812. Crabbe, Tales, xxi. 274. To me refer the choice [of books], and you shall find The light break in upon your stagnant mind!
1827. Pollok, Course of Time, VI. 204. The stagnant, dull, predestinated fool.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. IV. ii. Trade is stagnant.
1883. Hardy, Dorsetsh. Labourer, in Longm. Mag., July, 263. It is too much to expect them to remain stagnant and old-fashioned.
4. Comb.
1843. Dickens, Chr. Carol, iii. 82. The very gold and silver fish … though members of a dull and stagnant-blooded race.
1857. Grindon, Life, xx. (ed. 2), 250. New doctrines always displease the small and stagnant-souled.
Hence Stagnantly adv.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. I. ii. To pine stagnantly in thick obscuration, in squalid destitution and obstruction.
1847. Webster, Stagnantly, in a still, motionless, inactive manner.
