Emily Dickinson Lexicon

STALE, n.¹ [probably that which is set; G. stellen. See Stall.]

1. Something set or offered to view as an allurement to draw others to any place or purpose; a decoy; a stool-fowl. Still as he went, he crafty stales did lay. – Spenser. A pretense of kindness is the universal stale to all base projects. – Gov. of the Tongue. [In this sense obsolete.]
2. A prostitute. [Obs.] – Shak.
3. Old vapid beer. [Obs.]
4. A long handle; as, the stale of a rake. [Sax. stel, stele; D. steel; G. stiel.] – Mortimer.
5. A word applied to the king in chess when stalled or set; that is, when so situated that he can not be moved without going into check, by which the game is ended. – Bacon.