Forms: 1 stǽne, 3–6 stene, 4, 6, 8– steen, 5 steene, 6–7 steane, (8 stein), 7– stean. [OE. stǽne wk. fem. (only once, inflected stǽnan) = OHG. steinna stone jug:—OTeut. type *stainjō(n-, f. *staino- (OE. stán): see STONE sb.] A vessel for liquids (or, in later use, for bread, meat, fish, etc.), usually made of clay, with two handles or ears; a jar, pitcher, pot, urn. Now only dial. and arch.
c. 1050. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 415/18. Gillone, stænan.
c. 1275. Wom. Samaria, 15, in O. E. Misc. Ase he þer reste … Þar com gon o wymmon,… myd hire stene [= Vulg. hydria, John iv. 28].
1382. Wyclif, 1 Kings vii. 50. And Salomon made … the … stenys [1383 pottis] … of moost pure gold. Ibid., xvii. 12. I haue not breed, but as myche as an handful may take of mele in a stene [1388 pot; Vulg. in hydria].
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 207. Þese beeþ þe names of þe signes: þe Wether,… þe Steen [printed Sceen; repr. L. Aquarius], the Fisshe.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., III. 1165. Of that they do Viij cotuls in a stene of wynes trie [per amphoram uini]. Ibid., IV. 666. Whan they beth bake, al hoot into a stene Let hem be pressed.
a. 1500. Medulla Gram., Anfora, a steene or a canne with two eerys.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 74. Plato sent hym a whole stene or pitcher full [orig. lagœnam.]
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 147. That doth diligently: Attend the tappes of stande and steane: To moyst thy lippes full dry.
a. 1599. Spenser, F. Q., VII. vii. 42. Vpon an huge great Earth-pot steane he stood; From whose wide mouth, there flowed forth the Romane floud.
1662. J. Davies, trans. Olearius’ Voy. Ambass., 261. The Pots … are very much esteem’d, especially the Steans, or great Pitchers.
1728. E. Smith, Compl. Housew. (ed. 2), 202. Strip them into an earthen Stean that has a cover to it. Ibid. (1750), 236. Put them into an earthen stein that has a saucer.
1742. Lond. & Country Brewer, I. (ed. 4), 48. The Ale … is drank while it is fermenting in earthen Steens.
1746. Gentl. Mag., XVI. 407. (Exmoor Vocab.) Steyan or Stean, an earthen pot, like a jar.
1880. E. Cornw. Gloss., Stean, an earthenware pot such as meat or fish is cured in.
1888. Doughty, Arabia Deserta, I. xvi. 450. If the thing fall to them for which they vowed [at the wishing-place], they will … lay up a new stean in a little cave.
1908. A. Bennett, Old Wives’ Tale, I. iii. 34. In the corner nearest the kitchen was a great steen in which the bread was kept.
attrib. c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 293. A grete tode was in þe stene bothom.
1728. E. Smith, Compl. Housew. (ed. 2), 203. Put into a Stean-pot two pounds of Raisins stoned.
