▪ I. stooping, vbl. n.
(ˈstuːpɪŋ)
[f. stoop v.1 + -ing1.]
The action of the verb, in its various senses; an instance of this.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. viii. xiii. (1495) 320 In aege..the planete mars disposyth to stowpynge and crokydnesse. c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 1019 Stomak is on whom stowpyng..Annoyeth soore. 1592 Soliman & Pers. 1481 Nay, then, I see, my stooping makes her proud. 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xix. 65 Looking towards the point of the Island from whence the Kite came, we perceived divers others, that in their flying made many stoopings. 1754 Chatham Lett. to Nephew v. 34 As to the carriage of your person, be particularly careful..not to get a habit of stooping. 1799 Underwood Dis. Childhood (ed. 4) II. 87 The height which he may have lost in consequence of that stooping which the disorder had induced. 1897 Encycl. Sport I. 583/1 (Hunting, fox) Stooping (of hounds), putting their noses to the ground. A hound is said to stoop to a scent when he has once taken to speaking to it. |
b. Comb.: † stooping-horse = stalking-horse.
| 1659 D. Pell Impr. Sea 22 note, Counterfeit Religion is made a mere stooping horse of. |
▪ II. stooping, ppl. a.
(ˈstuːpɪŋ)
[f. stoop v.1 + -ing2.]
That stoops.
1. Of the body, head, shoulders, etc., also of the posture: Bowing down, inclining or leaning forward; chiefly, having a habitual stoop, as from age or infirmity.
| c 1290 Clement 238 in S. Eng. Leg. 330 Pouere and stoupinde and miseise, he bi-gan to siken sore. c 1386 Chaucer Merch. T. 494 Whan tendre youthe hath wedded stoupyng age. 1422 Yonge tr. Secreta Secret. 223 Hey vprerid shuldris; the body Sumwhate Stowpynge. 1538 Elyot Dict., Cernuus, stowpynge or lookynge downewarde. 1558 T. Phaer æneid viii. (1562) B b j, Y⊇ king him self of stoupyng age Eneas next him toke for mate. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, iii. iii. 48 How farre off from the mind of Bullingbrooke It is, such Crimson Tempest should bedrench..King Richards Land, My stooping dutie tenderly shall shew. 1609 Heywood Brit. Troy viii. xv. 172 They can make..the Foole wise, The stooping Straight. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. 6 May (1815) 71 Mrs. Tabitha Bramble is..flat-chested, and stooping. 1807 J. Barlow Columb. iii. 497 Forbear to tell my stooping sire His darling hopes have fed a coward fire. 1816 Scott Bl. Dwarf iv, Getting up from his stooping posture. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 103 The usurer with stooping walk pretends not to see them. 1908 W. Churchill Mr. Crewe's Career vii. 95 Mr. Crewe was ushered out by the stooping Secretary. |
| Comb. 1594 Lyly Mother Bombie i. 111 He doats, he is stooping old, and shortly must die. |
b. Of things: Inclined from the perpendicular.
| 1621 G. Sandys Ovid's Met. v. (1632) 183 Wandring in the Ort-yard, simply shee [Ceres] Pluckt a Pomegrannet from the stooping Tree. 1915 Glasgow Herald 28 May 8 On the farther side (seen by me past the shoulder of a dark alder and stooping scrub of hazels..upon the nearer bank). |
† 2. Of a person's fortunes: Declining. Obs.
| 1608 Yorks. Trag. i. iii. 15 A good and sure reliefe To al his stooping fortunes. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xvi. (1623) 841 King Henries fortunes in France were desperately stooping. |
3. Of a bird of prey: That is making its stoop.
| 1754 Boyer Gt. Theat. Honour (ed. 2) 116 Stooping (is said of a Bird of Prey that makes a stoop at the Game), Fondant. 1895 Crockett Men of Mosshags viii. 59 The wide pleasant moors where..the stooping wild birds cried all the livelong day. |
Hence ˈstoopingly adv., with the body bent or bowed down.
| 1530 Palsgr. 842/2 Stowpyngly, en cambrant. 1547 Boorde Brev. Health (1552) 59 Gibbositas... In Englyshe it is named crokydnes of the backe or shoulders, makyng a man to go stoupyngly. 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. iii. 240 We may safely folow the Scripture, whiche as with a motherly pace goeth stoupyngly [L. submissius graditur], least it shoulde forsake our weakenesse. 1825 New Monthly Mag. XIV. 130 He walks stoopingly. 1871 Daily News 21 June, The well-known figure, somewhat stoopingly, progressed to the seat apportioned. 1906 E. V. Lucas Listener's Lure 63 The giant stoopingly emerged from the back compartment. |