[f. STOOP v.1 + -ING2.] That stoops.
1. Of the body, head, shoulders, etc., also of the posture: Bowing down, inclining or leaning forward; chiefly, having a habitual stoop, as from age or infirmity.
c. 1290. Clement, 238, in S. Eng. Leg., 330. Pouere and stoupinde and miseise, he bi-gan to siken sore.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Merch. T., 494. Whan tendre youthe hath wedded stoupyng age.
1422. Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 223. Hey vprerid shuldris; the body Sumwhate Stowpynge.
1538. Elyot, Dict., Cernuus, stowpynge or lookynge downewarde.
1558. Phaër, Æneid, VII. (1562), B b j. Ye king him self of stoupyng age Eneas next him toke for mate.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., III. iii. 48. How farre off from the mind of Bullingbrooke It is, such Crimson Tempest should bedrench … King Richards Land, My stooping dutie tenderly shall shew.
1609. Heywood, Brit. Troy, VIII. xv. 172. They can make … the Foole wise, The stooping Straight.
1771. Smollett, Humphry Cl., 6 May (1815), 71. Mrs. Tabitha Bramble is … flat-chested, and stooping.
1807. J. Barlow, Columb., III. 497. Forbear to tell my stooping sire His darling hopes have fed a coward fire.
1816. Scott, Bl. Dwarf, iv. Getting up from his stooping posture.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 103. The usurer with stooping walk pretends not to see them.
1908. W. Churchill, Mr. Crewe’s Career, vii. 95. Mr. Crewe was ushered out by the stooping secretary.
Comb. 1594. Lyly, Mother Bombie, I. 111. He doats, he is stooping old, and shortly must die.
b. Of things: Inclined from the perpendicular.
1621. G. Sandys, Ovid’s Met., V. (1632), 183. Wandring in the Ort-yard, simply shee [Ceres] Pluckt a Pomegrannet from the stooping Tree.
1915. Glasgow Herald, 28 May, 8. On the farther side (seen by me past the shoulder of a dark alder and stooping scrub of hazels … upon the nearer bank).
† 2. Of a person’s fortunes: Declining. Obs.
1608. Yorksh. Trag., I. iii. 15. A good and sure reliefe To al his stooping fortunes.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xvi. (1623), 841. King Henries fortunes in France were desperately stooping.
3. Of a bird of prey: That is making its stoop.
1754. Boyer, Gt. Theat. Honour (ed. 2), 116. Stoop (is said of a Bird of Prey that makes a stoop at the Game), Fondant.
1895. Crockett, Men of Moss-Hags, viii. 59. The wide pleasant moors where … the stooping wild birds cried all the livelong day.
Hence Stoopingly adv., with the body bent or bowed down.
1530. Palsgr., 842/2. Stowpyngly, en cambrant.
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health (1552), 59. Gibbositas.… In Englyshe it is named crokydnes of the backe or shoulders, makyng a man to go stoupyngly.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., III. 240. We may safely folow the Scripture, whiche as with a motherly pace goeth stoupyngly [L. submissius graditur], least it shoulde forsake our weakenesse.
1825. New Monthly Mag., XIV. 130. He walks stoopingly.
1871. Daily News, 21 June. The well-known figure, somewhat stoopingly, progressed to the seat apportioned.
1906. E. V. Lucas, Listener’s Lure, 63. The giant stoopingly emerged from the back compartment and unfolded himself to his ridiculous full height.
