What does stave up mean?
To stave in a wooden boat is to smash a hole in its side, and thus, to be stove up is to be incapacitated or damaged. These words are related to the noun stave, the term for one of those flat pieces of wood in a barrel. Similarly, to stave off hunger is to metaphorically beat it back, as if with a stick.
What is the origin of stove up?
Stove up is an American coinage. The verb stave means “to break up (a cask) into staves” (from the noun stave “stick or lath of wood”). Its principal parts are staved, staved.
What does stave mean in Old English?
Old English stæf (plural stafas), “walking stick, strong pole used for carrying, rod used as a weapon, pastoral staff,” probably originally *stæb, from Proto-Germanic *stab- (source also of Old Saxon.
Is it stove up or stoved up?
“Stove-up: suffering physical discomfort caused by injury, illness, exercise, or overwork.” Now, “stove in” is defined along the same lines, but a bit more aggressive. Again, Merriam – Webster has their definition, which fits right in with what most of us have always assumed: “Stove-in: smashed inward.”
What is stoved up mean?
: suffering physical discomfort caused by injury, illness, exercise, or overwork : battered, worn-out horses … too old and stove-up for saddle work— F. B. Gipson several of the men were stove-up … and even some of the women showed signs of having been kicked or stepped on— H. L. Davis.
What were staves used for?
A stave is a narrow length of wood with a slightly bevelled edge to form the sides of barrels, tanks, tubs, vats and pipelines, originally handmade by coopers. They have been used in the construction of large holding tanks and penstocks at hydro power developments.
What does Stoved my finger mean?
Causes. A jammed finger occurs when the tip of the finger is compressed towards the hand. As the finger is compressed, the ligaments supporting the joints are stretched or “sprained.” Ligaments are soft tissues that hold bone to bone. The greater the force, the more severe the sprain.
What does stove-up mean?
suffering physical discomfort
Definition of stove-up : suffering physical discomfort caused by injury, illness, exercise, or overwork : battered, worn-out horses …
What are staves used for?
What does stave off mean?
to fend off
Definition of stave off transitive verb. 1 : to fend off staving off creditors. 2 : to ward off (something adverse) : forestall trying to stave off disaster.
What stoved up mean?
Definition of stove-up : suffering physical discomfort caused by injury, illness, exercise, or overwork : battered, worn-out horses …
What does stove your finger mean?
A jammed finger is typically a sprain to the joint or knuckle, of the finger. There may also be a small fracture or dislocation of the joint. The injury can be extremely painful, and the joint usually becomes swollen. A jammed finger is a common sports injury.