dial. Forms: 3 stong, (7 stonge), 4–7 stange, 6–7 stangue, 8 steng, 3– stang. [a. ON. stǫng fem., genit. stangar (Sw. stång, Da. stang), cogn. w. OE. stæng, stęng masc., pole (see STING sb.1), OS. stanga fem. (MLG. stange), MDu. stanghe fem. (mod.Du. stang; also steng, earlier stenge fem.), OHG. stanga fem. (MHG., mod.G. stange); the OTeut. types are *staŋgō, *staŋgjō fem., *staŋgi-z masc., f. the root *steŋg- to pierce: see STING v.
The It. stanga bar (whence Fr. stangue shaft of an anchor) is an adoption of the Teut. word.]
1. A pole or stake, a wooden bar or beam. Also in various specific uses (see quots.).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24029. Þai draf him forth wit staf and stong. Ibid. (13[?]), 21144 (Gött.). A wicked iuu … Smate him wid a walker stang [v.r. (Fairf.) a saa stange].
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1614. & syþen on a stif stange stoutly hem henges.
1481–90. Howard Househ. Bks. (Roxb.), 102. To by stanges for my Lord xvj. d.
1599. Fitch, in Hakluyt, Voy., II. I. 258. A kind of Coches … caried vpon a stang betweene 3. or 4. men.
1613. Markham, Eng. Husb., I. II. ix. (1635), 167. In those large baskets … carry them [apples] upon cole-staves, or stangs, betwixt two men.
1709. in D. Beveridge’s Culross & Tulliallan, (1885), II. 52. Four pounds Scotts to be payed to Alexr. Birnay, wright, for erecting the stang for the scollers in August last.
1781. J. Hutton, Tour to Caves (ed. 2), Gloss, 96. Stangs, the shafts of a cart.
1816. Scott, Antiq., xxvi. He has braw broad shouthers, and I just took the measure o’ them wi’ the stang.
1824. [Carr], Craven Gloss., Stang, a pole applied as a lever to press on a cart wheel, to prevent too great a velocity in rapid descents. Ibid. (1828), Stang, a strong piece of wood on which the carcases of beasts are suspended by the sinews of the hind legs.
1900. C. Murray, Hamewith, 73. This is the ferry, an’ I’m the lord An’ king o’ the boat an’ stang.
b. To ride the stang: to be mounted astride of a pole borne on the shoulders of two men, and carried through the streets for the derision of the spectators.
In some places in Scotland and the north of England, one who has in certain ways incurred the indignation of his or her fellow-villagers is compelled to ‘ride the stang’ (either personally, in effigy, or by proxy), accompanied by a jeering crowd and sometimes ‘rough music.’ There is also a New Year’s day custom by which every one met by the mob has either to ‘ride the stang’ or pay a forfeit.
1718. Ramsay, Christ’s Kirk Gr., III. xviii. Ane mounted wi’ a bang, Betwisht twa’s shoulders … and rade the stang On her that day.
1740. in Cramond, Ann. Banff (1891), I. 152. Sundry riotous persons find for carrying Ann Miln from her own house and causing her to ride the stang.
1782. Callander, Two Anc. Scott. Poems, 154. When they cannot lay hold of the culprit himself, they put some young fellow on the stang or pole, who proclaims that it is not on his own account that he is thus treated, but on that of another person, whom he names.
1865. Athenæum, 2 Sept., 313/3. An attempt was recently made, in Barnsley … to revive the old custom of ‘riding the stang.’ That is, hoisting an offending man on to a staff, or a woman into a basket, and carrying them till the victims ransom themselves by paying a fine, spent in ‘drink.’
1893. Westm. Gaz., 17 Oct., 5/2. On Thursday night the villagers expressed their indignation by the ceremony known as ‘riding the stang.’ This consists of carrying an effigy of the person in question round the village.
1896. P. H. Ditchfield, Old Eng. Customs, 180–1. All who were found at work on the day of the feast had to ride the stang or pay a forfeit.
† 2. A measure of land. a. = ROOD sb. 8. b. In Wales, an acre. Obs.
[1249. in Cal. Charter Rolls (1903), I. 343. Tres stangas.]
1326. Black Bk. St. David’s (1902), 18. Philippus Curteys tenet j acram terre et stang et reddit per annum ij d.
1570. in 11th Rep. Dep. Kpr. Rec. Irel., 233. A stang called No-man’s land, and 1 acre called Bodyngs acre.
1603. Owen, Pembrokeshire (1892), 133. 8 poles in bredth and xx in length or 4 in bredth and 40 in length maketh a stange.
1652. in Gentl. Mag. (1861), Nov., 507. 32 acres and three stonge of beanes and pease.
1682. Piers, Descr. West-Meath (1770), 116. They divide usually one field into acres, half-acres, stangs, that is roods.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, I. ii. These fields were intermingled with woods of half a stang.
1777. Tunstall Inclos. Act, 10. Five acres and three stengs of land in the said East Field.
3. (See quot.)
1734. in D. D. Black, Hist. Brechin, vii. (1839), 140–1. [The price of the] stang or standing stone for the top of the cross.
4. Comb., as stang-ball, a variety of bar-shot.
1802. C. James, Milit. Dict., s.v. Ball, Stang Balls.
