▪ I. steeple, n.1
(ˈstiːp(ə)l)
Forms: 1 stépel, st{iacu}pel, st{yacu}pel, 2–5 stepel, 4–5 stepyl, 4–7 steple, 5 steepill, stepil, -yll(e, -ul, styple, styppyl, 5–6 stepell, -ull(e, 5–7 stepill, 6 steaple, steepil, stepelle, stypell, Sc. steipell, -il(l, steiple, 6–7 stiple, 7 Sc. steippell, 6– steeple.
[OE. stépel, st{yacu}pel masc.:—prehist. *staupil, f. *staup- steep a.]
† I. 1. A tall tower; a building of great altitude in proportion to its length and breadth. Obs.
| c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xxi. 23 [He] ᵹetimbrode anne stypel [L. turrim ædificavit]. c 1000 ælfric Gen. xi. 5 Þæt he ᵹesawe..þone stipel, þe Adames bearn ᵹetimbrodon. 10.. Lambeth Ps. lx. 4 Turris fortitudinis, Stepel stræncðe. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 93 Eontas walden areran ane buruh and anne stepel swa hehne, þet [etc.]. c 1290 St. Michael 539 in S. Eng. Leg. 315 Ȝif here were an heiȝ stepel; and a man a-boue sete. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 3040 Stone [s]tepelles fulle styffe in þe strete ligges. a 1660 Contemp. Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archæol. Soc.) I. 60 An ould almost ruyned stiple extant in the ruynes of the said nunry temple. 1847 W. Reeves Eccl. Antiq. 63 note, The noble Round Tower, commonly called the Steeple [near Antrim]. |
2. a. A lofty tower forming part of a church, temple, or other public edifice (often serving to contain the bells); such a tower together with the spire or other superstructure by which it is surmounted.
| 1154 O.E. Chron. (C.) an. 1036, Hine man byriᵹde..æt þam west-ende þam styple ful ᵹehende. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10860 In to þe stepel of oseneye þe legat fleu vor fere. c 1325 Lai le Freine 152 A chirche, with stepel fair and heighe. 1387 Charters etc. Edin. (1871) 35 The grete pyler of the stepyl. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 148/2 Fane of a stepylle, or oþer lyke, cherucus. c 1481 Caxton Dialogues 40 Lamfroy the couerar of tyles Couerd the steple [Fr. couury le belfroy]. 1553 in Daniel-Tyssen Surrey Ch. Goods (1869) 107 Item in the stypell ij belles and a littell bell. 1561 T. Hoby tr. Castiglione's Courtyer ii. (1577) M vij b, A place where was a steeple that stood by himselfe alone seuered from the Church. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. ii. i. 142 Inuisible, As a nose on a man's face, or a Wethercocke on a steeple. c 1605 Acc. Bk. W. Wray in Antiquary XXXII. 212 This yeare [1593]..was the great spere of St. Wilfrides steple..sett on fire. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 505 Thirty Steeples with Spires or square Towres within view at once. 1625 Peebles Charters etc. (1872) 414 Gewine to John Frank for schiwting of the tua goineis in the steippell. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 155 When they [Persians] heare the Boy cry aloud vpon the Steeple, they fall to prayer. a 1701 Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1721) 122 It is thick set with Mosques and Steeples, the usual ornaments of the Turkish Cities. 1765 Sterne Tr. Shandy VII. v, The steeple, which has a spire to it, is placed in the middle of the church. 1795 Burns Song, ‘Does haughty Gaul’ iv, Who will not sing, ‘God save the King,’ Shall hang as high's the steeple. 1812 Edm. Turnor MS. Let., An Elevation of the west end of Great Ponton Church, to show the steeple. [Here a square tower.] 1842 Gwilt Archit. Gloss. 1037 Steeple, a lofty erection attached to a church, chiefly intended to contain its bells. The word..applies to every appendage of this nature, whether tower or spire, or a combination of the two. 1852 Hook Ch. Dict. (1871) 725 A steeple is the tower of a Church with all its appendages, as turret, octagon, and spire. It is often incorrectly confounded with the spire. |
† b. Used by metonymy for church. In nonce-phrases:
the sign of the steeple (referring to monastic hospitality);
bigamy of steeples, plurality of church livings.
Obs.| 1555 Eden Decades (Arb.) 54 Sence the signe of the steeple, the poore mans Inne was pulled downe in all places. 1641 R. Wild in Roxb. Ballads (1888) VI. 456 Bigamy of Steeples is no laughing matter. |
† c. to hunt the steeple: see
quot. Obs.| 1785 Edin. Advertiser 15 Apr. 236 His Lordship and another gentleman determined to hunt the steeple. This is a common amusement among people of fashion, and consists in the horsemen riding helter skelter towards the first steeple that may catch their eye, and he that is first in is the best man. |
3. a. A spire on the top of the tower or roof of a church or similar edifice. Also, more definitely,
spire steeple,
broach steeple.
| 1473–4 in Swayne Sarum Churchw. Acc. (1896) 15 The castyng and laying iiijxx xv{supc} of new and olde Led to the steple. 1548 Elyot's Dict., Pyramis,..a stiple. 1551 Turner Herbal i. N iij b, The tre..hath the figure of a steple, that is great beneth, and the hygher vp the smaller it is. 1578 Banister Hist. Man. vii. 93 The figure of this [right] auricle is like a poynted steeple pillour or other buildyng, whose brodest part is the bottome. 1582 Batman Barth. De P.R. iii. xvii. 18 b, Out of the eye commeth a small appearaunce, that is shapen as a steeple or a top. 1595 Duncan App. Etym. (E.D.S.), Pyramis, a steiple or lyk building. 1607 T. Walkington Opt. Glass 41 His head was made like a broch steeple, sharpe. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 425 A mighty bigge and lofty Towre, upon which stood a Spire Steeple covered with Leade. 1766 Entick London IV. 283 The steeple is a spire.., raised upon a solid..tower. ? 1780 Cowper Transl. Bourne, Jackdaw 7 Above the steeple shines a plate, That turns and turns, to indicate From what point blows the weather. 1872 Schele de Vere Americanisms 233 With the Yankee, the meeting-house with its steeple—the word ‘spire’ is hardly ever heard in America—has found its way to every part of the Union. 1896 Swayne Sarum Churchw. Acc. p. xxvi, There were battlements..at the top of the tower, and above rose the steeple. |
b. In wider sense (see
quots.).
| 1816 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art I. 131 Any building above the roof may be called a steeple. 1823 J. F. Cooper Pioneers viii, The ‘steeple’ was a little cupola, reared on the very centre of the roof. |
† 4. A steeple-shaped ornament on the cover of a censer or other vessel.
Obs.| 1517 Archæologia LXI. 87 A sencer of silver the stepull and the swages gilt. |
5. transf. A steeple-shaped formation of the two hands, with the palms facing and the extended fingers rising to meet at the tips.
| 1940 Detective Fiction Weekly 26 Oct. 9/1, I..waited for him to begin. He made a steeple of his hands. ‘Now it is a very simple matter.’ 1972 T. P. McMahon Issue of Bishop's Blood (1973) iii. 35 He was sighting at me carefully along the top of the steeple made by his manicured fingers. 1978 G. Vidal Kalki ii. 33 When I put out my hand, she made a steeple with her hands, and bowed. This was my first experience with the Hindu pranam, or greeting. |
II. attrib. and
Comb. 6. Obvious combinations:
a. simple attributive, as
steeple battlement,
steeple-bell,
steeple-chime,
steeple-door,
steeple-height,
steeple-spire,
steeple-stairs,
steeple-tower,
steeple-vane,
steeple window,
steeple work.
b. objective, as
steeple-climbing,
steeple-keeper; also
steeple-loving adj. c. similative, as
steeple-form,
steeple-high,
steeple-like,
steeple-shaped adjs.; also in designations of headgear having a ‘steeple-crown’ (see 7), as
steeple-cap,
steeple hat,
steeple head-dress,
steeple headgear,
steeple tire.
d. instrumental, as
steeple-shadowed,
steeple-studded adjs.| 1525–6 Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1905) 332 Paid to a Mason, for a day, to mende þe *steple batilment, viij d. |
| 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. II. vi. vi, So go the *steeple-bells. |
| 1642 H. More Song of Soul i. i. 25 By stealth her *steeple-cap she [sc. Night] doth assay To whelm on th' earth. |
| a 1821 Keats Song of Opposites 11 Funeral and *steeple-chime. |
| 1483 in C. Welch Churchw. Acc. All-hallows, Lond. Wall (1912) 25 Payed for a lokke and a key to the *Stepill dor, iiij{supd}. |
| 1551 Recorde Pathw. Knowl. i. Defin. C j, Or els it is called a rounde spire, or *stiple fourme. |
| 1629 Gaule Holy Madn. 329 His *steeple Hat hath harboured many a Thousand. 1841 T. H. White Fragm. Italy & Rhineland 2 The noble countenance of the Spaniard, shadowed by his black steeple hat. |
| 1877 Encycl. Brit. VI. 470 Fig. 39 ‘*Steeple’ Head-dress. |
| 1655 Marquis of Worcester Cent. Inv. §24 To shoot..an hundred pound weight a *Steeple-height. |
| 1633 T. Nash Quaternio 35 Being mounted aloft, *steeple-high. 1692 [see squab adv.]. |
| 1663 Gerbier Counsel 11 And *Steeple-like to hang Bells in. |
| 1800 J. Hurdis Fav. Village 111 Homeward returns the *steeple-loving daw. |
| 1896 A. E. Housman Shropshire Lad lxi, And *steeple-shadowed slumber The slayers of themselves. |
| 1859 W. S. Coleman Our Woodlands 34 [Form of fir-trees.] Conical or *steeple-shaped. |
| 1664 Cotton Scarron. iv. 103 And if I ever do forget ye,..Let me be hang'd as high, or higher Then top of Carthage *Steeple Spire. 1817 Coleridge Biog. Lit., Satyrane's Lett. i. II. 202 A profusion of steeple-spires. |
| 1559–60 Ludlow Churchw. Acc. (Camden) 97 Paid for the makynge clene of the *stepulle steyrez, iiij d. |
| 1886 A. G. Butler in Harold etc. (1892) 151 The ghost-like city, *steeple-studded, Slumbering grey in a mist of green. |
| 1603–26 Breton Poste Mad Lett. (Grosart) 41/1 For your *steeple tire, it is like the gaud of a Maid-Marion. |
| c 1842 Wordsw. Eccl. Sonn. iii. xvii, Her Spires, her *Steeple-towers with glittering vanes. |
| 1845 Hirst Poems 71 The roofs, the spires, the *steeple-vanes Seemed swimming in the silver mist. |
| 1512 in Archæologia XLVI. 202 Paid for the frethyng of the *Stepyll wyndows iiij d. |
| 1426 E.E. Wills (1882) 76 Also I bequeth to þe *stepul werk of seint Alpheies by Crepulgate, x mark. |
7. a. Special comb.:
steeple clock, (
a) a clock fixed to a steeple; (
b)
U.S., an antique mantel or shelf clock (see
quot. 1959);
steeple-clocked a., having steeple-shaped clocks (
clock n.2 1);
† steeple cream Confectionery, a cream (
cream n.1 2) fashioned into a form pointed at the top;
steeple-crown, a crown of a hat rising to a point in the middle; also a hat with a steeple-crown; hence
steeple-crowned adj.;
steeple-cup (see
quot.);
steeple engine, a kind of steam-engine used on river boats (see
quot. 1873);
† steeple head, the top of a tower or steeple;
steeple-hoofed a., having the hoof too upright;
† steeple hunt,
hunter,
-hunting = steeplechase n., -chaser, -chasing;
steeple jack, a man who climbs steeples or tall chimneys to repair them;
† steeple-moulded a., (of a hat) steeple-shaped;
† steeple-music = bell-ringing;
steeple race,
racing,
= steeplechase, -chasing;
steeple-roofed a., having very high roofs;
† steeple running = steeplechasing;
steeple sugar-loaf, a sugar-loaf shaped like a steeple;
steeple-top, (
a) the top of a steeple; (
b) the bowhead, or great polar whale (
Balæna mysticetus), so called from the spout-holes terminating in a sort of cone (
Cent. Dict. 1891).
| 1830 Carlyle Richter Again Ess. 1840 II. 372 The down-rolling wheels of the *steeple-clock, which was striking eleven, had awakened me. 1923 W. I. Milham Time & Timekeepers xx. 368 There are two kinds of clocks, however, which came into vogue shortly after 1850 and are usually classed among ‘antiques’ and not among the endless varieties of modern clocks. These are the small, spring-driven, brass shelf clock often in a rose-wood veneer case and the steeple clock, sometimes called the ‘Sharp Gothic’. 1959 L. Gross Housewives' Guide to Antiques viii. 114 The steeple clock of the mid-nineteenth century was another popular mantel clock. It takes its name from the steeple-like appearance of its case. 1976 R. B. Parker Promised Land (1977) xvi. 97 There was an old steeple clock with brass works on the mantle. |
| 1776 Anstey Election Ballads (1808) 229 With a shoe like a sauce boat and *steeple-clock'd hose. |
| 1747 H. Glasse Cookery 143 To make *Steeple Cream. 1769 Mrs. Raffald Eng. Housekpr. (1778) 231 They are pretty with either steeple cream, any kind of flummeries, or [etc.]. |
| 1684 Roxb. Ballads (1891) VII. 475 There came up a Lass from a Country Town..In *steeple-crown Hat. 1706 [E. Ward] Hud. Rediv. (Nares), The good old dames..were.. drest In stiffen-body'd russet gowns, And on their heads old steeple-crowns. 1710 Tatler No. 257 ¶3 The most remarkable Parts of her Dress, were the Beaver with the Steeple Crown, [etc.]. |
| 1804 Europ. Mag. XLV. 411/1 *Steeple-crowned hats. 1900 Crockett Love Idylls (1901) 33 An ancient steeple-crowned Puritan hat. |
| 1909 Century Dict., *Steeple-cup, a silver standing cup having on its cover a pyramidal, steeple-like crest. |
| 1839 R. S. Robinson Naut. Steam Eng. 177 This engine, common on the Clyde, is called a *steeple engine, but it is unfitted for the open sea. 1873 G. E. Webster Steam Eng. & Steam ii. 187 Steeple Engines derive their name from the high erections on deck required by the guide to the connecting-rod which works the crank. |
| 1572 Diurn. Occur. Scot. (Bannatyne Club) 307 The haill artailȝerie in Edinburgh, about the wallis, on the *steipill heid of Sanctgeill and Kirk of feild, wer tane to the castell of Edinburgh. |
| 1823 J. Pursglove Pract. Farriery 226 It will give great relief to the animal if his heels are lowered as much as possible, to prevent him from being what is termed *steeple-hoofed. |
| 1831 Youatt Horse iv. 57 The *Steeple Hunt is a relic of ancient foolhardiness and cruelty. |
| 1830 Examiner 531/1 She bolts at the object of her aim with the ardour of a *steeple hunter. |
| 1772 Gilpin Observ. Picturesque Beauty (1786) II. 251 *Steeple-hunting. 1851 Carlyle Sterling i. v. 53, I have known few creatures whom it was more wasteful..to set to steeple-hunting, instead of running on highways! |
| 1881 Instr. Census Clerks (1885) 52 Builder..*Steeple Jack. 1894 Bye-Gones 14 Feb. 277/1 For some time past steeplejacks have been engaged in repairing the spire. |
| 1710 Pict. of Malice 8 The good Women of Derbyshire..ought to appear in the Churches with their *Steeple-mol'd Hats, and lay aside their Hats of Straw. |
| 1732 Tricks of Town 33 He had..paid the three Guineas for the *Steeple-Musick. |
| 1809 Sporting Mag. XXXIII. 187 A match..to ride a *steeple race. |
| 1840 D. P. Blaine Rural Sports §1280 The popularity of *steeple racing from this time increased. |
| c 1870 Browning Miniature 2 In the bright Touraine, In a high-turreted, *steeple-roofed town. |
| 1818 ‘W. H. Scott’ Brit. Field Sports 299 In *Steeple Running and matching their Horses to run Train-Scents. |
| 1649 Dk. Newcastle Country Capt. i. i. 4 No *steeple sugar-loaues to sweeten his Neighbours at Christmas. |
| c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 497 Þe clerk saw þe preste bodie oft sithis born vp to þe *steple topp with strenth of fendis. 1805 Southey Madoc i. xv, David would hang thee on thy steeple top. |
b. In names of plants:
steeple bells,
steeple bell-flower,
Campanula pyramidalis;
steeple-bush = hardhack.
| 1597 Gerarde Herbal ii. cxi. 366 Of Peach bels, and *Steeple bels. Ibid. 367 fig. 2 Campanula lactescens pyramidalis Steeple milkie Bell flower. 1611 Cotgr., Campanette,..the Peach-bell, or Steeple-bell flower. 1812 New Bot. Gard. I. 121 The plants of the steeple bell-flower. |
| 1847 Darlington Amer. Weeds 120 Spirea tomentosa..Hardhack. *Steeple Bush. |
▪ II. steeple, n.2 (
ˈstiːp(ə)l)
[Altered form of staple n.1, perh. influenced by prec.] 1. = staple n.1 2.
| 1722 W. Hamilton Wallace 57 Wallace..with a furious shock The Bar and Steeple all in Flinders Broke, Then open drave the Gate. 1825 Jamieson Dict., Steepil, the staple or bolt of a hinge. Ettr. For. 1867 J. K. Hunter Retrospect Artist's Life viii. (1902) 76 A steeple at the corner. 1894 Crockett Lilac Sunbonnet 84 A sharp noise as of one clicking in the ‘steeple’ or brace of the front door. |
2. Shetland. [
Cf. Du. stapel heap.]
= pack n.1 9.
| 1822 Hibbert Desc. Shetl. Isl. 519 They [fish] are afterwards built into a large stack named a steeple. 18.. [see pack n.1 9]. |
▪ III. steeple, v. (
ˈstiːp(ə)l)
[f. steeple n.1] 1. trans. To place (a bell) in a steeple.
| 1644 S. Kem Messengers Prepar. 18 Like a Bell, which whilst it lyeth on the ground, can make no musick; but when steepled, then it sounds loud. |
2. To imprison in a steeple.
| 1881 G. MacGregor Hist. Glasgow xvii. 149 The keeper was forbidden to allow any of those who had been ‘steepled’ to have other than prison fare. |
3. intr. To rise or tower like a steeple.
| 1892 [implied at steepling ppl. adj. below]. 1922 Blunden Shepherd 81 The cornel steepling up in white shall know The two friends passing by. |
4. trans. To place (the fingers or hands) together in the shape of a steeple.
| 1968 A. Maclean Force 10 from Navarone iv. 59 The German captain leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. 1975 W. Safire Before Fall vi. vi. 446 Nixon..was relaxed when seated, steepling or folding his hands. 1977 G. Scott Hot Pursuit ii. 18 He steepled his fingers and looked wisely at me across the desk-top. |
Hence
ˈsteepling ppl. a., rising up like a steeple; also
fig.| 1892 Harper's Mag. Feb. 427/1 They have adopted what they call ‘the Chicago method’ in putting up these steepling hives. 1955 Times 28 June 3/2 He struck a steepling blow, but he fell into Kenyon's hands just inside the ropes beneath the Nursery Clock Tower. 1977 Guardian Weekly 17 July 24/2 McCosker hooked at it and sent a steepling catch to Underwood at mid-on. 1982 Daily Tel. 20 Aug. 9/4 The steepling rises in standing charges. |