standish Obs. exc. Hist. or arch.
(ˈstændɪʃ)
Forms: α. 5–6 standisshe, 6 -ys(s)he, (-yche), 6–7 standishe, 8–9 stand-dish, 6– standish. β. (7 standage, -ege, 8 standidge.)
[Commonly believed to be f. stand v. + dish n.; but evidence is wanting for such a use of dish as would account for the assumed combination.]
A stand containing ink, pens and other writing materials and accessories (see quots.); an inkstand; also, an inkpot.
| α 1474–5 in Swayne Sarum Church-w. Acc. (1896) 17 Et in j quartari paupiri & in j standisshe viij d. 1480 Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV. (1830) 131 Standisshes with weightes and scales iij. 1590 Lodge Euphues Gold. Leg. ¶2, Reaching to her standish, she tooke penne and paper, and wrote a letter. 1607 Beaumont Woman Hater v. i, Secretary, fetch..the standish I answer French Letters with. 1688 Holme Armoury iii. xiv. (Roxb.) 20/1 This fashion of Horne..is now converted into Lead, and hath the denomination of a standish: or of tyn and soe haue both Inke place, sand box, candlestick and a long box to lay wax, pens and knife in: all fixt togather, yet all but a standish. 1747 Richardson Clarissa (1811) II. 249 Away went the dear girl..carrying down with her my standish, and all its furniture, and a little parcel of pens beside. 1789 Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France II. 361 His..writing-table..was contrived..with a square hole for the standish to drop into and not spill the ink. 1841 Dickens Barn. Rudge x, He wanted pen, ink, and paper. There was an old standish on the high mantel shelf containing a dusty apology for all three. 1852 Thackeray Esmond ii. x, Pouring out his flame and his passion..pacing the room..twisting and breaking into bits the wax out of the stand-dish. 1864 Athenæum 11 June 801 When the veteran,..is about to lay his pen to rest in the standish. |
| β 1605 Tryall Chev. v. i, in Bullen Old Pl. (1884) III. 340 The incke that's in the standage doth looke blacke. 1609 Louth Rec. (1891) 156 Item for a pewter standege for the Chamber iij s. iiij d. 1772 in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ. I. 138 A Leathern Standidge. |
¶ b. (See
quot.)
| 1727 A. Hamilton New Acc. E. Ind. I. xi. 120 A Glass Pipe for his Tobacco, and an embroider'd Standish for it to stand in. |