stilt

Etymology

From Middle English stilte, stulte, from Old English *stilte, *stylte, from Proto-Germanic *stiltijǭ, *staltijǭ, *stultijǭ (“stilt”), from Proto-Germanic *stelt- (“to be stiff”). Akin to Danish stylte, Dutch stelt, German Stelze.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪlt

Noun

stilt (plural stilts)

1. Either of two poles with footrests that allow someone to stand or walk above the ground; used mostly by entertainers.
2. A tall pillar or post used to support some structure; often above water.
3. Any of various wading birds of the genera Himantopus and Cladorhynchus, related to the avocet, that have extremely long legs and long thin bills.
4. A crutch.
5. The handle of a plough.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Halliwell to this entry?)

Verb

stilt (third-person singular simple present stilts, present participle stilting, simple past and past participle stilted)

1. to raise on stilts, or as if on stilts

Anagrams

• Litts, tilts

Alternative forms

• stillet (Etymology 3)

Verb

stilt

1. past participle of stille

Verb

stilt

1. past participle of stilla

Adjective

stilt

1. neuter singular of still