Emily Dickinson Lexicon

STE-RE-OM'E-TRY, n. [Gr. στερεος, firm, fixed, and μετρεω, to measure.]

The art of measuring solid bodies, and finding their solid content. – Harris.

STE-RE-O-TOM'IC-AL, a.

Pertaining to or performed by stereotomy.

STE-RE-OT'O-MY, n. [Gr. στερεος, fixed, and τεμυω, to cut.]

The science or art of cutting solids into certain figures or sections, as arches, &c. – Encyc.

STE'RE-O-TYPE, a.

1. Pertaining to fixed metallic types.
2. Done on fixed metallic types, or plates of fixed types; as stereotype work; stereotype printing; a stereotype copy of the Bible.

STE'RE-O-TYPE, n. [Gr. στερεος, fixed, and τυπος, type, form.]

1. Literally, a fixed metal type; hence, a plate of fixed solid metallic types for printing books. Thus, we say, a book is printed on stereotype, or in stereotype. In the latter use, the word seems rather to signify the workmanship or manner of printing, than the plate.
2. The art of making plates of fixed metallic types, or of executing work on such plates.

STE'RE-O-TYPE, v.t.

To make fixed metallic types or plates of type metal, corresponding with the words and letters of a book; to compose a book in fixed types; as, to stereotype the New Testament; certain societies have stereotyped the Bible.

STE'RE-O-TYP-ER, n.

One who makes stereotype.

STE'RE-O-TYP-ING, ppr.

Making stereotype plates for any work; or impressing copies on stereotype plates.

STE-RE-O-TY-POG'RA-PHER, n.

A stereotype printer.

STE-RE-O-TY-POG'RA-PHY, n.

The art or practice of printing on stereotype. – Entick.

STER'IL, or STER'ILE, a. [L. sterilis; It. and Fr. sterile; Sp. esteril.]

1. Barren; unfruitful; not fertile; producing little or no crop; as, sterile land; a sterile desert; a sterile year. – Bacon.
2. Barren; producing no young. – More.
3. Barren of ideas; destitute of sentiment; as, a sterile production or author. Sterile flower, in botany, is a term given by Tournefort the male flower, or that which bears only stamens. – Martyn.

STE-RIL'I-TY, n. [L. sterilitas; Fr. sterilité; It. sterilità.]

1. Barrenness; unproductiveness; unfruitfulness; the quality or state of producing little or nothing; as, the sterility land or soil. – Bacon.
2. Barrenness; unfruitfulness; the state of not producing young; as of animals.
3. Barrenness of ideas or sentiments, as in writings.
4. Want of fertility or the power of producing sentiment as, the sterility of an author or of his mind.

STER'IL-IZE, v.t.

1. To make barren; to impoverish, land; exhaust of fertility; as, to sterilize soil or land. [Little used.] – Woodward.
2. To deprive of fecundity, or the power of producing young. [Little used.]

STER'LET, n.

A fish of the Caspian and of the rivers Russia, its Acipenser ruthenus of Linnæus, highly esteemed for its flavor, and from whose roe is made the finest caviare. – Tooke. Coxe.

STER'LING, a. [probably from Easterling.]

1. An epithet by which English money of account is distinguished; as, pound sterling; a shilling sterling; penny sterling. It not now applied to the coins of England; but sterling cost, sterling value are used.
2. Genuine; pure; of excellent quality; as, a work of sterling merit; a man of sterling wit or good sense.

STER'LING, n.

1. English money. And Roman wealth in English sterling view. – Arbuthnot. [In this use, sterling may signify English coins.]
2. Standard; rate. [Little used in either sense.]

STERN, a. [Sax. styrn, stern; G. starr, staring; störrig, stubborn. See Stare, Starch, Stark, with which this word is probably connected. Gr. στερεος.]

1. Severe; austere; fixed with an aspect of severity and authority; as, a stern look; a stern countenance; a stern frown. I would outstare the sternest eyes that look. – Shak.
2. Severe of manner; rigid; harsh; cruel. Stern as tutors, and as uncles hard. – Dryden. Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. – Shak.
3. Hard; afflictive. If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time. – Shak.
4. Rigidly steadfast; immovable. Stern virtue is the growth of few soils. – Hamilton.

STERN, n. [Sax. steor and ern, place; the steer-place, that is, helm-place.]

1. The hind part of a ship or other vessel, or of a boat; the part opposite to the stem or prow. This part of a ship is terminated by the tafferel above, and by the counters below. – Mar. Dict.
2. Post of management; direction. And sit at chiefest stern of public weal. – Shak. [Not in use. We now say, to sit at the helm.]
3. The hinder part of any thing. [Not elegant.] Spenser. By the stern, is a phrase which denotes that a ship is more deeply laden abaft than forward.

STERN'AGE, n.

Steerage or stern. – Shak.

STERN'-BOARD, n. [stern and board.]

In seamen's language, a loss of way in making a tack. To make a stern-board, is when by a current or other cause, a vessel has fallen back from the point she bad gained in the last tack. – Mar. Dict.

STERN'-CHASE, n. [stern and chase.]

A cannon placed in a ship's stern, pointing backward and intended to annoy a ship that is in pursuit of her. – Mar. Dict.

STERN'ED, a.

In compounds, having a stern of a particular shape; as, square-sterned; pink-sterned, &c.

STERN'ER, n. [Sax. steoran, to steer.]

A director. [Not in use.] – Clarke.

STERN'-FAST, n. [stern and fast.]

A rope used to confine the stern of a ship or other vessel.

STERN'-FRAME, n. [stern and frame.]

The several pieces of timber which form the stern of a ship. – Mar. Dict.