stalk

stalk
{{11}}stalk (n.) "stem of a plant," early 14c., probably a dim. (with -k suffix) of stale "one of the uprights of a ladder, handle, stalk," from O.E. stalu "wooden part" (as of a harp), from P.Gmc. *stalo; related to O.E. steala "stalk, support," and steall "place" (see STALL (Cf. stall) (n.1)).
{{12}}stalk (v.1) "pursue stealthily," O.E. -stealcian, as in bestealcian "to steal along," from P.Gmc. *stalkojanan, probably from a frequentative of the root of STEAL (Cf. steal) (Cf. hark from hear, talk from tell). Or it may be from a sense of STALK (Cf. stalk) (v.1), influenced by STALK (Cf. stalk) (n.). Meaning "harass obsessively" first recorded 1991. Related: Stalked; stalking. A stalking-horse was lit. a horse trained to allow a fowler to conceal himself behind it to get within range of the game; figurative sense of "person who participates in a proceeding to disguise its real purpose" is recorded from 1610s.
{{12}}stalk (v2.) "walk haughtily" (opposite meaning of STALK (Cf. stalk) (v1.)) is 1520s, perhaps from STALK (Cf. stalk) (n.) with a notion of "long, awkward strides," or from O.E. stealcung "a stalking," related to stealc "steep, lofty."

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • stalk — stalk·able; stalk; stalk·er; stalk·i·ly; stalk·i·ness; stalk·ing·ly; stalk·less; stalk·let; bit·stalk; …   English syllables

  • Stalk — (st[add]k), n. [OE. stalke, fr. AS. st[ae]l, stel, a stalk. See {Stale} a handle, {Stall}.] 1. (Bot.) (a) The stem or main axis of a plant; as, a stalk of wheat, rye, or oats; the stalks of maize or hemp. (b) The petiole, pedicel, or peduncle, of …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Stalk — Stalk, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Stalked} (st[add]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. {Stalking}.] [AS. st[ae]lcan, stealcian to go slowly; cf. stealc high, elevated, Dan. stalke to stalk; probably akin to 1st stalk.] 1. To walk slowly and cautiously; to walk in a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Stalk — Stalk, n. 1. A high, proud, stately step or walk. [1913 Webster] Thus twice before, . . . With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch. Shak. [1913 Webster] The which with monstrous stalk behind him stepped. Spenser. [1913 Webster] 2. The act or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • stalk — / stȯk/ vt: to subject to stalking vi: to engage in stalking stalk·er n Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • stalk|y — «ST kee», adjective, stalk|i|er, stalk|i|est. 1. consisting of stalks. 2. abounding in stalks. 3. of the nature of a stalk or stalks; long and slender like a stalk …   Useful english dictionary

  • Stalk — (st[add]k), v. t. 1. To approach under cover of a screen, or by stealth, for the purpose of killing, as game. [1913 Webster] As for shooting a man from behind a wall, it is cruelly like to stalking a deer. Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster] 2. To… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Stalk — can mean: * loosely, a plant stem, or any structure resembling a plant stem ** more precisely, in botany, the filament of a stamen, pedicel, peduncle, petiole, scape, caudicle or stipe (botany) ** in mycology, a stipe (mycology) is the stem or… …   Wikipedia

  • stalk — Ⅰ. stalk [1] ► NOUN 1) the main stem of a herbaceous plant. 2) the attachment or support of a leaf, flower, or fruit. 3) a slender support or stem. DERIVATIVES stalk like adjective stalky adjective …   English terms dictionary

  • stalk — [n] stem of plant axis, bent, helm, pedicel, pedicle, reed, shaft, spike, spire, support, trunk, twig, upright; concept 428 stalk [v] follow, creep up on ambush, approach, chase, drive, flush out, haunt, hunt, pace, pursue, shadow, striddle,… …   New thesaurus

  • stalk — stalk1 [stôk] vi. [ME stalken < OE stealcian (in comp.) < stealc, high, steep < IE * stelg < base * stel , to place, set up > STILL1, Gr stellein] 1. a) to walk in a stiff, haughty, or grim manner b) to advance or spread grimly… …   English World dictionary

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