d.1529. Dunbar, Works, 'Twa Marrit Wemen,' s.v.
c.1593. Nash, Choise of Valentines, 131. 'Unhappie me,' quoth shee, 'and will't not stand? Com, lett me rubb and chafe it with my hand!'
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. A conscienza vitta . . . with a stiffe standing pricke. Ibid. Priapismo . . . the standing of a man's yard.
1601. Munday and Chettle, Death of Robert, Earl of Huntingdon [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), viii. 309]. Except you use that trick to conjure doun the standing spirit of my lord the king That your good mother there, the Abbess, uses To conjure down the spirit of the monk.
1606. Chapman, Gent. Usher, ii. 1. Perhaps some tender lady will squat here, And if some standing rush should chance to prick her.
1616. Drummond [Chalmers, Eng. Poets, v. 666]. I wish you not a hundred arms nor hands, But hundred things like those With which Priapus in our garden stands.
1686. Rochester, 'The Happy Night' [Works (1718), 1. 36]. Then binds his wounds up with a busy hand And with that Balm enables him to stand.
1705. Ward, Hud. Rediv., 1. ix. 6. Till she had burnt with Claps and Poxes, More standing Ware than Sampson's Foxes. Ibid., T[om] B[rown]'s Last Letter. Stroke with warm Hand . . . To make what's pendant stand erected.
1774. Bridges, Burlesque Homer, 132. Knowing a touch of her soft hand . . . will make him stand. Ibid., 196. But she . . . in sweaty palm, There held it fast and made it stand, And spend its venom in her hand.
1786. Capt. Morris, Lyra Urbanica (1840), 'Billy's too Young to Drive Us.' Here's Britannia! And may he never stand at her head, Who never could stand at her tail.
df.1796. Burns, Merry Muses, 'Here's his Health in Water.' He followed me baith out an' in, Wi' a stiff stanin' pillie. Ibid., 'Act Sederunt' (1793). Stanin' pricks are fau'tors a'.
2. (Old Cant).—See quot. 1548. Also standing.
1548. Latimer, Sermons and Remains (Parker Soc). [Oliphant, New Eng., i. 515. There are hanger-on, a standing (thieves' station)].
3. (various).—A cheap-jack's, coster's, or street-vendor's pitch (q.v.). Also (colloquially) A shop (q.v.); a show (q.v.).
1902. Lynch, High Stakes, xxiii. The lady . . . came . . . with the best of home and foreign recommendations, began business at her present "stand," and has flourished mightily.
4. (theatrical touring).—A visit; a run (q.v.).
1900. Free Lance, 6 Oct., 20, 1. This year I'm going with Grady—north and south—right through the big two week stands.
5. (American).—Situation : e.g., 'The Astor House is a good stand for a hotel' (Bartlett).
Verb. (colloquial).—To endure, put up with, forbear.
1383. Chaucer, Miller's Tale, 644. But stonde he moste unto his owene harm.
1705. Ward, Hud. Rediv.,1. ix. 13. After she has stood the thrust To satisfy her Master's Lust.
Phrases.—Stand is frequently colloquial. Thus to stand ready at the door = to be handy for use; to stand to a child = to act as sponsor; to stand buff (or bluff) = to swear to, to outface, to take the consequences; not a foot (or leg) to stand on = at the end of one's resources, or one's repute; to stand in = (1) to take side (or lot) with, to share, and (2) to cost; to stand on one's hind legs = to show temper, to take in bad part; to stand on one's head (ears, &c.) = to be in good spirits; to stand up to the rack = to take rough and smooth; to stand up to = to put oneself in fighting attitude (Bee): whence a stand-up fight = a bout where the contestants manfully face each other; to stand up with = (1) to dance, and (2) to
