Forms: α. 4–8 sterne, 4 steorne, 5–6 steerne, 6 stierne, 6–7 stearne, 4– stern. β. 6, 9 starn dial., 7 starne dial. γ. 6 storne. [Probably a. ON. stjórn fem. steering; an abstract formation with -nō suffix from OTeut. *steurjan, ON. stýra, OE. stíeran: see STEER v. Cf. OFris. stiarne, stioerne stern, rudder.
This etymology accords with the scanty evidence of early distribution. But the earliest sense recorded in English, ‘hinder part of a ship,’ appears in OFris. and not in ON., and a native origin is not impossible. Evidence is, however, lacking for the supposed OE. *stéorn.]
† 1. The steering gear of a ship, the rudder and helm together; but often applied to the rudder only, less commonly to the helm only. Obs.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 149. Þe bur ber to hit baft þat braste alle her gere, Þen hurled on a hepe þe helme & þe sterne.
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, I. i. (Skeat), 35. How shulde a ship, withouten a sterne, in the grete see be governed.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, II. xc. (1869), 108. Þilke þat maketh þe gouernour slepe amiddes þe ship vnder þe mast, whan he hath lost oþer broken þe steerne.
1471. Caxton, Recuyell (Sommer), 171. A tempest … bare many shyppys wyth theyr apparayll vnder water, brake theyr sternes and helmes [etc.].
1607. R. Wilkinson, Merchant Royall, 11. A ship … is yet commanded by the helme or sterne, a small peece of wood.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit. (1637), 657. This Beaver … having a long taile … which in his floting he useth in lieu of a sterne.
1640. Habington, Q. Arragon, V. H 2. A storme Ore tooke the ship, so powerfull that the Pilot Gave up the Sterne to th’ordering of the waves.
1671. trans. Palafox’s Conq. China by Tartars, xxiv. 414. They … made them content to bring ashore all their great Guns…, nay the very Sails and Sterns from off their Ships.
† b. transf. An apparatus that controls a horse, machine, etc., as a rudder controls a ship. Obs.
1607. Markham, Caval., II. (1617), 213. I discommended them [sharp cavezans] vtterly as the first instruments or sternes wherewith to gouerne a Colt at his first backing.
1660. Marq. Worcester, Exact Def., 15. The [Water-Commanding] Engine consisteth of … 5. A Helm or Stern with Bitt and Reins, wherewith a Child may guide, order, and controul the whole Operation.
† c. fig. That which guides or controls affairs, actions, etc.; also, from (the metaphor of the ship of state), government, rule. Obs.
1577. trans. Bullinger’s Decades, 1001. Whiche is the healme … and stearne of the Euangelists and Apostles doctrine.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. (1598), 361. The turning of Zelmanes eye was a strong sterne enough to all their motions.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. vii. 233. His envious brethren’s trecherous drift, Him to the Stern of Memphian State had lift.
1597. Beard, Theatre God’s Judgem. (1612), Prel. There is a God aboue that guideth the sterne of the world.
1602. Fulbecke, 2nd Pt. Parall., 15. Of both these riseth an action triable wel enough by the Canon Law: for in this matter the Canon is the sterne and motiue of our iudgements.
c. 1618. Moryson, Itin., IV. I. vii. (1903), 111. To the hands of these 28 Familyes, the Stern of the Commonwealth was committed.
† d. In various phrases, with literal or figurative meaning. To be, sit, at the stern, to stand to stern, to conduct, guide, hold, keep, possess, rule, steer, turn the stern: to steer, govern, control, to occupy the seat of government. To take in hand the stern, to assume the government. Obs.
1401. Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 109. Ne were God the giour, and kept the stern,… al schulde wende to wrak.
c. 1500. Three Kings’ Sons, 60. Some [shippes] … had neither saile ne maste, nor noman so hardy that durst conduyte the steerne.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, II. 1183. Kynge Edgare kept the storne as most principall, Eche prince had an ore to labour with-all.
a. 1542. Wyatt, Poems, ‘So feeble is the thread,’ 83 Those handes … yt … rule the sterne of my pore lyff.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 6. Fye on hym that would take vpon hym to sitte and holde the stierne in a shyppe, hauyng none experience in ye feate of marinershyp.
a. 1547. Surrey, Poems, ‘Girt in my guiltless gown,’ 6. How som to guyd a shyppe in stormes styckes not to take the stearne.
1553. Respublica, 278. I shall tell Respublica ye can beste governe: bee not ye than skeymishe to take in hand the stern.
a. 1568. Ascham, Scholem., I. (Arb.), 48. The father held the sterne of his whole obedience.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 152. Wee satt at ye sterne, and had the weale publique in our rule and gouernement.
1577–87. Holinshed, Hist. Scot., 356/1. The male line … descended from the women, haue sometime possessed the sterne of Scotland.
1580. Greene, Mamillia, I. (1583), 6 b. Construe al thinges to the best, turne the stearne the best waye. Ibid. (1583), II. (1593), D 3. Pilot … if thou hadst no greater cunning in stirring of the stearne.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., I. i. 177. I intend to … sit at chiefest Sterne of publique Weal.
1593. Churchyard, Challenge, 6. In greatest stormes, I stoutly stood to sterne, And turnd about, the shippe to winne the winde.
1604. T. Wright, Passions, VI. 338. He that guideth by his providence the sterne of mens soules.
1625. Deb. Commons (Camden, 1873), 87. He that was then at the sterne fetch’t many sighes before he fetch’ it aboute.
a. 1708. Beveridge, Thes. Theol., III. 323. We are in a more special manner to pray for such as sit at the stern, and are in authority.
2. The hind part of a ship or boat (as distinguished from the bow and midships); in restricted sense, the external rear part of a ship’s hull; also spec. in vessels of ordinary type, the overhanging portion of the hull abaft the sternpost. Often in collocation with STEM, HEAD.
c. 1300. K. Horn, 935. Þe hondes gonnen at erne In to þe schypes sterne. Ibid., 1412. He comen out of scyp sterne.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 474/2. Sterne, of a schyppe, puppis.
1526. Tindale, Mark iv. 38. He was in the sterne a slepe on a pelowe.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 86. Beholdinge the foreshippe & the sterne.
1608. Shaks., Per., IV. i. 64. And with a dropping industrie they skip from sterne to sterne.
1622. R. Hawkins, Voy. S. Sea, xliv. 104. Our Shippe … coming a-ground in the sterne.
1626. Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Seamen, 8. First lay the Keele, the Stemme, and Starne, in a dry docke.
1773. Hawkesworth, Cook’s 1st Voy., II. x. III. 462. The ornament at the stern was fixed upon that end, as the stern-post of a ship is upon her keel.
1817. Shelley, Rev. Islam, IX. ii. 5. The stern and prow Were canopied with blooming boughs.
1835. Sir J. Ross, Narr. 2nd Voy. N.-W. Passage, v. 59. It would be necessary … to moor the ship both head and stern.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Stern, the after-part of a ship, ending in the taffarel above and the counters below.
1915. Morning Post, 9 Dec., 6/6. The Severn was anchored head and stern.
transf. 1878. Stevenson, New Arab. Nts. (1882), II. 146. The round stern of a chapel, with a fringe of flying buttresses.
b. Phrases with preps.: On stern, a stern, ? also stern adv.: see ASTERN. At stern, to stern: behind, in the rear of a ship; at (the) stern, used of a boat towed behind. (Down) by the stern: see BY A. 9 and quots. Under the stern: under the overhanging part technically called the stern.
c. 1500. Melusine, xxxvi. 271. He lefte the Ermayns … at sterne.
1562. J. Shute, trans. Cambini’s Turk. Wars, 34 b. Wherupon they tawed the palandre after them at the storne of some of their galleys.
1574. W. Bourne, Regiment for Sea, xiv. (1577), 40 b. The one place must be thwart of you, the other must be a head or stern of you.
1616. Capt. Smith, Descr. New Eng., 53. This examinate fell on sterne.
1633. T. James, Voy., 7. Our long Boate … we were faine to Towe at Sterne.
a. 1779. Cook, 3rd Voy., II. vi. Towards noon, a large sailing canoe came under our stern.
1806. A. Duncan, Life Nelson, 70. She might anchor by the stern.
1846. A. Young, Naut. Dict., 56. If her stern be lower in the water than her head, she is by the stern.
c. Stern-foremost: backwards, with the stern (senses 2, 3) first; also fig. Stern on: with the stern presented.
1840. Marryat, Poor Jack, xxxi. The man … backs out, stern foremost.
1852. Hawthorne, Blithedale Rom., viii. 78. By dint of unskilful planting, few of our seeds ever came up at all, or, if they did come up, it was stern-foremost.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. i. The boat … drove stern foremost before it [the tide].
1900. Jrnl. Sch. Geog. (U.S.), June, 231. [The ship] thus runs … the risk … of getting stern-on to the heavy sea.
1907. ‘Q.’ (Quiller-Couch), Poison Isl. xxv. 244. After a stroke or two I easied and let her back stern-foremost.
3. (Arising out of a figurative use of sense 2.) The buttocks of a man (chiefly humorous and vulgar) or beast; the hinder part of any creature.
1614. B. Jonson, Bart. Fair, Induct. A Punque set vnder [a pump] vpon her head, with her Sterne vpward.
1830. Marryat, King’s Own, xxvi. When it was a kitten, they had cut off his tail close to its starn. Ibid. (1836), Midsh. Easy., xix. I was obliged to come up the side without my trousers, and show my bare stern to the whole ship’s company.
1854. Poultry Chron., I. 455. With, in the hens especially, a well-rounded stern.
1863. W. C. Baldwin, Afr. Hunting, vi. 179. Firing from the saddle, and giving the giraffe the ball in the stern.
1869. Furnivall, Forewords to Q. Eliz. Acad., p. xxiii. We don’t want to … fancy them cherubs without sterns.
1913. Engl. Rev., May, 201. [The ducks] point their sterns into the air, and stick their heads under water.
4. The tail of an animal, esp. of a sporting-dog or a wolf. Also, † the fleshy part of a horse’s tail; † the tail feathers of a hawk.
1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, 190. Fasten a bell upon the two couert feathers of your hawkes Stearne or trayne. Ibid. (1576), Venerie, 243. The tayle of a Wolfe is to be called his Stearne.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. i. 18. Tho wrapping vp her wrethed sterne arownd, Lept fierce vpon his shield, and her huge traine All suddenly about his body wound.
1607. Markham, Caval., I. (1617), 27. Others approue a Horses age in this sort: take him with your finger and your thumbe by the sterne of the tayle, close at the setting on of the buttocke. Ibid., II. 9. His taile long and hairie … the sterne whereof, small and strong, and close coutched betwixt his buttockes.
1618. Chapman, Hesiod’s Georg., II. 223. Wilde beasts abhor him, and run clapping close Their stern’s betwixt their thighes.
1677. N. Cox, Gentl. Recreat. (ed. 2), 149. The benefit of cutting off the tip of a Spaniel’s Tail or Stern.
1682. Lond. Gaz., No. 1684/4. Lost … a Fallow Greyhound Bitch, with a white spot at the end of her Sterne.
1725. Bradley’s Family Dict., s.v. Entering of Hounds, Some [hounds] … will prick up their Ears a little, and either Bark or wag their Stern or Ear.
1881. V. Shaw, Bk. Dog, x. 91. The stern or tail [of the Bull-dog] … must be short and very fine. Ibid., xliv. 372. The Stern or Flag [of the Setter].
1890. S. W. Baker, Wild Beasts, II. 317. When he spoke … with stern erect and nose to the ground, there was a general rush by every dog.
† 5. Used gen. for: Rear, latter end. Obs.
1623. Hexham, Tongue-Combat, 48. You need not in the sterne of your Discourse recapitulate the notable pieces which you have proued.
¶ 6. Misused by Stubbes for: An ensign, flag.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abuses, I. (1877), 51. An other sort … are content with no kind of Hatt without a great bunche of feathers … peaking on toppe of their heades … as sternes of pride and ensigns of vanitie. Ibid., 68. It [curling etc. of the hair] is the ensigne of Pride, and the stern [v.r. 1595 standerd] of wantonnes to all that behould it.
7. attrib. (all locative, referring to sense 2) as stern-anchor, -balcony, -beam, -becket, -davits, deck, -gun, -paddle (also attrib.), -plate (also attrib.), -sheave, -sling-bolt, -turret, -window.
1633. T. James, Voy., 82. Ice … brought home our *Sterne-Anker.
1904. Hardy, Dynasts, I. II. ii. 66. White sea-birds, which alight on the *stern-balcony of Villeneuve’s ship.
1878. T. L. Cuyler, Pointed Papers, 45. He lies down to slumber on the *stern-beam of the boat.
1897. Kipling, Captains Courageous, ii. 35. He … caught Dan’s tackle, hooked it to the *stern-becket, and clambered into the schooner.
1863. A. Young, Naut. Dict., 389. *Stern-davits, pieces of iron or timber projecting from a vessel’s stern to hoist boats up to.
1913. Sir H. Johnston, Pioneers Australasia, iii. 99. They were received by the king on the *stern deck of a very large prau or native vessel.
1892. Kipling, Barrack-r. Ballads, 137. And the great *stern-gun shot fair and true, With the heave of the ship, to the stainless blue, And the great *stern-turret stuck.
1849. W. S. Mayo, Kaloolah, vi. (1850), 50. The savage wielding the *stern paddle of the foremost canoe.
1905. A. R. Wallace, My Life, II. xxxi. 139. We saw one of the old-fashioned stern-paddle steamboats.
1890. W. J. Gordon, Foundry, 70. The tip only of the *stern-plate rivets is heated.
1890. Pall Mall Gaz., 4 Oct., 7/1. It was astonishing to see the … cable … bob under the dynamometer, and up over the *stern-sheave, and finally dive into the water.
1875. Bedford, Sailor’s Pocket Bk., vi. (ed. 2), 216. Take the tow-line to the after thwart or foremost *stern-sling bolt.
1834. Marryat, P. Simple, xxxii. Brigs having no *stern-windows, of course she could not see my manœuvre.
8. Special comb.: † stern-bearer, a rudder-bearer, ship; stern-boat, (a) a boat hanging at a ship’s stern; (b) an attendant boat following astern; stern-frame, (a) the framework of a ship’s stern; (b) (see quot. 1908); stern-gallery (see GALLERY 2 d); stern-knee, = STERNSON; stern-ladder (see quots.); stern-line, = STERNFAST; stern-locker (see LOCKER sb.1 III.); stern-notch, a notch cut in the topmost plank of a boat’s stern to receive an oar used in sculling or steering; stern-ornament, (a) an ornament on a vessel’s stern; (b) jocularly, the tail of an animal; stern-piece, † (a) a gun mounted in the stern; (b) a flat piece of wood to which the side planks of a ship or boat are brought, so that it terminates the hull behind; stern-port, a port or window in the stern of a vessel; stern-race, a race in which one boat closely follows another without being able to overtake it; stern-rail, (a) an ornamental molding on a ship’s stern; (b) the rail placed about the deck at the stern; stern-rudder, the rudder at the stern, as distinguished from the bow-rudder with which some craft are fitted; stern sea, a sea that beats upon a ship’s stern; a following sea; stern shot, a shot at the buttocks of a fleeing animal; stern speed, the speed of a vessel travelling stern-foremost with engines reversed; stern-timber (see quots.); stern tube, (a) the tube in which the propeller-shaft works; (b) a tube fitted in the stern of a warship from which torpedoes are discharged; stern-wager = stern-race; stern-walk (see quot. 1867); stern-way, the movement of a ship going stern-foremost; also transf.; sternways adv., in a position or direction facing to the stern; stern-works, jocularly, the buttocks. Also STERN-BOARD, -CHASE, -CHASER, -FAST, -MAN, -POST, -SHEET, -WHEEL.
1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe, 20. In M. Hackluits English discoueries I haue not come in ken of one … mediteranean *sternebearer sente from her [Yarmouth’s] Zenith or Meridian.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. IV. v. Huge leathern vehicle:—huge Argosy, let us say, or Acapulco-ship; with its heavy *stern-boat or Chaise-and-pair.
1846. A. Young, Naut. Dict., 40. It [the jolly-boat or yawl] is very commonly called the stern-boat, if hung to davits over the ship’s stern.
1815. Falconer’s Dict. Marine (ed. Burney), *Stern-frame,… in ship-building, is that frame of timber which is composed of the stern-post-transoms and fashion-pieces.
1880. Times, 17 Dec., 5/6. The Persian Monarch … is reported … to be leaking slightly, supposed around the stern frame.
1908. Paasch, From Keel to Truck, 123. Stern-frame … forming in single-screw steamers stern-post, propeller-post, and the connections between them.
1842. Dickens, Amer. Notes, xi. (1850), 111/1. All this I see as I sit in the little *stern-gallery.
1846. A. Young, Naut. Dict., 322. Sternson, or *Stern-knee. A piece of compass timber forming a continuation of a vessel’s keelson.
1794. Rigging & Seamanship, I. 234. *Stern-ladders are made of cable-laid rope.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Stern-ladder, made of ropes with wooden steps, for getting in and out of the boats astern.
1898. Jrnl. Sch. Geog. (U.S.), Oct., 306. The vessels … are secured with double bow anchors and usually two *stern lines.
1849. Cupples, Green Hand, xvi. (1856), 159. [The bird] was stowed away … into the *stern-locker.
1907. ‘Q.’ (Quiller-Couch), Poison Isl. xxv. 240. Slipping a paddle into the *stern-notch, [I] sculled gently for shore.
1885. Rider Haggard, K. Solomon’s Mines, iii. As though nature had … stuck the *stern ornaments of a lot of prize bulldogs on to the rumps of the oxen.
1908. Paasch, From Keel to Truck, 98. Stern ornament.
1622. R. Hawkins, Voy. S. Sea, liii. 127. Our *stearne peeces were vnprimed.
1626. Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Seamen, 19. Giue him your stern peeces.
1895. R. B. Burchard, in Outing, XXVI. 382/1. Her [the yacht’s] stern-piece is elliptical.
1591. Raleigh, in Last Fight Revenge (Arb.), 19. Besides those of her *Sterne portes.
1834. Marryat, P. Simple, viii. One of them ere midshipmites has thrown a red hot tater out of the stern-port.
1903. J. Conrad & Hueffer, Romance, II. iv. 83. The stern-ports, glazed in small panes, were black and gleaming in a white framework.
1883. Brinsley-Richards, Seven Years at Eton, xi. 106. Ricardo and Campbell were gamely rowing a good *stern-race, but no more.
1846. A. Young, Naut. Dict., 322. Stern-rails.… Narrow pieces of projecting plank on which mouldings are raised,—arranged on a vessel’s stern and counter in various forms.
1914. Blackw. Mag., Feb., 248/2. The finest sight in all the East—Bombay seen over the stern-rail of a P. & O. steamer.
1889. Welch, Text Bk. Naval Archit., xiii. 136. The following remarks … will be confined to *stern rudders and the gear for actuating them.
1745. P. Thomas, Jrnl. Anson’s Voy., 156. They rid by the best with a very great *stern Sea, which staved the Long-boat against the Stern, and at last overset her with a Man in her.
1863. W. C. Baldwin, Afr. Hunting, v. 130. He [the rhinoceros] suddenly made right off, and I had only a *stern shot left me.
1904. Westm. Gaz., 26 Sept., 6/2. For moderate speeds astern a reversing turbine was adequate, but for high *stern speeds a reciprocating engine was preferable.
1797. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), XVII. 398/2. A curve described through the several points thus set off will be the representative of the *stern timber.
1846. A. Young, Naut. Dict., 342. Stern-timbers, a general name given to all the timbers in the stern-frame.
1883. W. Clark Russell, Sailor’s Lang., *Stern-tube, a cylinder in the after peak of a steamer in which the propeller shaft works.
1912. Times, 19 Dec., 20/2. Portuguese s. Beira … with propeller shaft port engine broken and stern tube cracked or broken.
1914. Domville-Fife, Submarine in War, 144. The submarine might … then fire her stern tubes at close range.
1852. J. F. Bateman, Aquatic Notes, 74. The Cambridge men … rowed a very plucky *stern-wager.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., *Stern-walk, the old galleries formerly used to line-of-battle ships.
1893. M. Bourke, in Daily News, 18 July, 6/1. I … being at that moment looking out of a stern port into the stern walk.
1915. ‘Bartimeus,’ Naval Occas., 161. While under the stern-walk a flock of gulls screeched and quarrelled.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), s.v. Aback, The sails … are laid aback,… to give the ship *stern-way.
1865. Daily Tel., 16 Oct., 4/4. The steersmen of the public schools perceived that they were making stern-way; the age was overhauling them.
1875. Bedford, Sailor’s Pocket Bk., vi. 179. Before going alongside a vessel…, observe if she have head or sternway.
1872. Earl of Pembroke & G. H. Kingsley, S. Sea Bubbles, i. 8. Some [fish] … swimming or floating frontways, *sternways, sideways, with apparently equal ease and partiality.
1879. Stevenson, Trav. Cevennes (1886), 17. Plucking a switch out of a thicket, he began to lace Modestine about the *sternworks, uttering a cry.
