steven
English
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈstiːvən/, /ˈstevən/
Etymology 1
From Middle English steven (“voice, command, constitution”), from Old English stefn, stemn (“voice”), from Proto-Germanic *stebnō, *stamnijō (“voice”), from Proto-Indo-European *stomen- (“mouth, muzzle”). Cognate with Old Frisian stifne, stemme (“voice”), Old Saxon stemna (“voice”) (Dutch stem), Old High German stimma, stimna (“voice”) (German Stimme), Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐌹𐌱𐌽𐌰 (stibna, “voice”), Ancient Greek στόμα (stóma, “mouth”). See also stevvon.
Noun
steven (plural stevens)
- (Northern England, Scotland, archaic) Voice, especially when loud or strong.
- 17th c., Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne:
- When Little John heard his master speake, / Well knew he it was his steven.
- a. 1801, Richard Gall, Poems & Songs (1819) 93:
- Then could her Sangsters loud their steven raise.
- 1826, James Hogg, Queen Hynde vi, in Poems (1865) 262:
- All nature roar'd in one dire steven; Heaven cried to earth, and earth to heaven.
- 1865, William Stott Banks, List Provinc. Words Wakefield:
- Thah's a rare stevven, lad.
- 1880, Sidney Lanier, Sir Thomas Malory, Alfred Kappes, The Boy's King Arthur:
- Then Sir Launcelot said with dreary steeven [voice], “Sir bishop, I pray you give to me all my rights that longeth to a Christian man.”
- a. 1886, Eric Mackay, Love Lett. Violinist (1895) 197:
- He […] lifted up his steven To keep the bulwarks of his faith secure.
- 2015, Patricia Spencer, Albion 2:
- […] suddenly Bishop Germaine and the priests, with a loud and shrill voice, cried Alleluia three times and therewith all the multitude of the Britains with whole voice, cried the same cry, with such a loud steaven, […]
- 17th c., Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne:
- (Can we verify(+) this sense?) (obsolete) Speech, language.
- a. 1500, "Hymns to Virgin, etc. (E. E. T. S.), p. 6":
- To thee, lady, y make my moon; I praie thee heere my steuen.
- a. 1500, "Hymns to Virgin, etc. (E. E. T. S.), p. 6":
- (Can we verify(+) this sense?) (obsolete) That which is uttered; cry, petition, prayer.
- a. 1500, (1460), Towneley Plays (1994) I.ii.17:
- God that shope both erth and heuen, I pray to the thou here my steven.
- 1589, Thomas Lodge, Scillaes Metamorphosis E 2:
- Father of light […] Bring to effect this my desired steauen.
- a. 1500, (1460), Towneley Plays (1994) I.ii.17:
- (Can we verify(+) this sense?) (obsolete) A command, bidding or direction given.
- 1597, Thomas Middleton, Wisdome of Solomon Paraphr. xviii. xiv–xvi. sig. Y3v:
- And brought thy precept? as a burning steauen, Reaching from heauen to earth, from earth to heauen.
- 1597, Thomas Middleton, Wisdome of Solomon Paraphr. xviii. xiv–xvi. sig. Y3v:
- (Can we verify(+) this sense?) (obsolete) A promise, one's word.
- (Can we verify(+) this sense?) (obsolete) A sound, the sound of a horn; melody, tune; song; sound made by an animal or a bird.
- 1566, William Addlington, translator, The Golden Asse, Apuleius
- […] whereby the little birds weening that the spring time had bin come, did chirp and sing in their steven melodiously
- 1566, William Addlington, translator, The Golden Asse, Apuleius
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
steven (third-person singular simple present stevens, present participle stevening, simple past and past participle stevened)
- (Northern England, Scotland, obsolete) To speak (especially loudly) or shout.
- 1875, "A Riding Song", in The Oracle, volume 12, page 11:
- 'Tis sweet to stay up in the evening,
- Heigho! Heigho! Heigho!
- With laughing and chaffing and stevening
- (A word that means shouting, you know.)
- 1875, "A Riding Song", in The Oracle, volume 12, page 11:
- (Can we verify(+) this sense?) (transitive, obsolete) To voice an opinion; vote.
- (Can we verify(+) this sense?) (transitive, archaic) To vouch; speak up (for).
- (Can we verify(+) this sense?) (transitive, dialectal) To bespeak.
Translations
Related terms
Etymology 2
From Middle English steven (“appointment”), from Old English stefn (“a time, turn, tour of duty”), from Proto-Germanic *stabnijaz, *stabnijô (“fixed time”), from Proto-Indo-European *stebh- (“a stake, post; to support, stamp, insist, become angry”). Cognate with Middle Low German stevene (“a court appointment”), Old Norse stefna (“appointment, meeting”). More at staff.
Noun
steven (plural stevens)
- (obsolete) A time, occasion.
- 1788, Samuel Johnson, George Steevens, The dramatick writings of Will. Shakspere, with the Notes of all the various Commentators:
- I should choose to read "at this dull season," rather than this dull steven, [...]— John Monck Mason.
- 1788, Samuel Johnson, George Steevens, The dramatick writings of Will. Shakspere, with the Notes of all the various Commentators:
- (obsolete) A set time; a date or appointment.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VIII:
- And that same nyght that the steavyn was sette betwyxte Segwarydes wyff and Sir Trystrames, so Kynge Marke armed and made hym redy [...].
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VIII:
Verb
steven (third-person singular simple present stevens, present participle stevening, simple past and past participle stevened)
Derived terms
- to set steven
- unset steven
Further reading
- steven at OneLook Dictionary Search
- steven in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
- steven in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutch stēvene.
Pronunciation
Audio (file) - IPA(key): /ˈsteːvə(n)/
- Hyphenation: ste‧ven
Noun
steven m (plural stevens)
Derived terms
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Old English stefn, stemn (“voice, sound”). More at steven.
Noun
steven (plural stevens)
- The voice of a human being; a voice.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter xij, in Le Morte Darthur, book XXI:
- Soo wythin syx wekye after syr Launcelot fyl seek and laye in his bedde & thenne he sente for the bysshop that there was heremyte and al his trewe felowes / Than Syr Launcelot sayd wyth drery steuen / syr bysshop I praye you gyue to me al my ryghtes that longeth to a chrysten man.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter xij, in Le Morte Darthur, book XXI:
- A vocal sound.
- sound; tonal pattern.
- Manner of speaking.
Etymology 2
From Old English stefn (“appointed time”).
Alternative forms
- stemne
- stevene
Noun
steven
- time, set time, appointment
- c. 1385, Geoffrey Chaucer, ‘The Knight's Tale’, Canterbury Tales:
- It is ful fair a man to bere hym euene, / For al day meeten men at vnset steuene.
- c. 1385, Geoffrey Chaucer, ‘The Knight's Tale’, Canterbury Tales:
- period of time, occasion
- 1398, John Trevisa, trans. Bartholomaeus, De Proprietatibus Rerum:
- Suche stenche is continual and comeþ nouȝt by stemnes.
- (please add an English translation of this usage example)
Scots
Alternative forms
- stevin
- stewyn
Etymology
From Middle English stewin, from Old English stefn (“voice”), from Proto-Germanic *stebnō, *stamnijō (“voice”), from Proto-Indo-European *stomen- (“mouth, muzzle”). Cognates: see above, steven.