stable English · revision 4936

+ Stable, a building for horses, and stable, steady, are different words, both from Latin stāre “to stand”.^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsteɪ.bəl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|building}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1225|origins=la stabulum}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|stable]], [[bor|fro|estable|t=stable, stall, pigsty]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la|stabulum|t=stall, fold]], literally “a standing place”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from stāre “to stand”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[ine-pro|*steh₂-|alt=*sta-|t=to stand]].^(Etymonline) It is related to [[stand]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A building where horses or cattle are kept: about 1225 in Barnhart, in King Horn, the early 13th century in Etymonline, about 1250 in the OED.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) At first it housed any domestic animal, and Old French estable could be a pigsty.^(Cresswell 2021)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The collection of horses of one stable is from the 1570s (1576 in the OED),^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and a racing stable from 1810.^(OED 1989) A group of boxers under one manager is from 1897,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and racing car teams from 1935.^(OED 1989) ''Shut the stable door after the horse has bolted'' goes back to medieval times;^(Cresswell 2021) Gower has it in 1390.^(Etymonline) The verb, to put in a stable, is from about 1330.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1225 – a building for horses.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1330 – verb, to put in a stable.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1576 – the horses of one stable.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1897 – a group of boxers.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A building where [[horse]]s are kept.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A group of racehorses with one owner or trainer, or the place where they are trained.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A group of people, such as athletes or writers, managed by one person or company.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To put or keep a horse in a stable.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ {{homograph|2|steady}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1150|origins=la stabilis}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|stable]], [[bor|fro|estable|alt=stable, estable|t=constant, steadfast]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la|stabilis|t=firm, steadfast]], literally “able to stand”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from stāre “to stand”.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) It is related to [[establish]] and [[stability]].^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Trustworthy, reliable: about 1150 in Barnhart, the mid-12th century in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Able to remain upright, secure against falling, before 1300 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Constant or steadfast, and virtuous, is from the mid-13th century,^(Etymonline) firm or permanent in its place from about 1300,^(Etymonline) and of even temperament from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) Of material things or systems able to keep their position or structure it is from 1560 and 1839.^(OED 1989) Of governments it means secure,^(Etymonline) and of nuclear isotopes, not radioactive, from 1904.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1150 – trustworthy.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * mid-13th century – steadfast.^(Etymonline)

+ * a. 1300 – secure against falling.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 14th century – of even temperament.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1904 – of isotopes.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Not likely to move, fall or change; [[steady]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Calm and reasonable in mind or [[temper]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(chemistry, physics)'' Not easily breaking down or decaying.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[stabler]]

+ * [[stand]]

+ * [[establish]]

+ * [[stability]]

+ * [[stall]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}