stickle

Definitions


[], (Adjective)

Definitions:
- Especially of a hill or path: steep, sloping; set at a sharp angle; high.


Phrases:

Origin:
Old English; earliest use found in Rule of St. Benet. Cognate with Old Saxon stecul rough, rugged (Middle Low German stekel steep), Old High German stehhal steep, rugged (Middle High German stechel steep)


[], (Noun)

Definitions:
- A section of river where the bed slopes and the water is shallow and runs swiftly; a rapid.


Phrases:

Origin:
Old English; earliest use found in Rule of St. Benet. Cognate with Old Saxon stecul rough, rugged (Middle Low German stekel steep), Old High German stehhal steep, rugged (Middle High German stechel steep)


[], (Verb)

Definitions:
- To officiate at a wrestling match or other contest; to act as a referee. Hence more generally: to act as a mediator; to intercede or intervene. Frequently with between, among. Now only with reference to Cornish wrestling.

- With against: to fight or act in opposition to, to resist.

- With for: to strive or contend for (a desired object, an issue, principle, etc.). Also with up and with. Now somewhat rare.

- To make difficulties about something one objects to; to raise objections; to scruple; to quibble. Chiefly with at, about, specifying the thing objected to.


Phrases:

Origin:
mid 16th century; earliest use found in John Palsgrave (d. 1554), teacher and scholar of languages. Apparently originally a variant of stightle;




definition by Oxford Dictionaries