stare a bada

stare a bada

1. (obsolete) To stall for time, to temporize; to stand in attentive expectation.
   • 1321, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Inferno [The Divine Comedy: Hell] (paperback), 12th edition, Le Monnier, published 1994, Canto XXXI, lines 136–141, page 463–464:

     Qual pare a riguardar la Carisenda ¶ sotto ’l chinato, quando un nuvol vada ¶ sovr’essa sì, ched ella incontro penda: ¶ tal parve Antëo a me che stava a bada ¶ di vederlo chinare, e fu tal ora ¶ ch’i’ avrei voluto ir per altra strada.

     As seems the Carisenda, to behold beneath the leaning side, when goes a cloud above it so that opposite it hangs; such did Antæus seem to me, who stood watching to see him stoop, and then it was I could have wished to go some other way.

2. To stay put.

• See stare.