Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Either of a pair of long, slender poles each equipped with a raised footrest to enable the user to walk elevated above the ground.
- noun Any of various tall posts or pillars used as support, as for a dock or building.
- noun Any of several shorebirds of the widely distributed genus Himantopus or the Australian genus Cladorhynchus that have long pink legs, usually black-and-white plumage, and a long slender bill.
- transitive verb To place or raise on stilts.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A prop used in walking; a crutch.
- noun One of two props or poles, each having a step or stirrup at some distance from the lower end, by means of which one may walk with the feet raised from the ground, and with a longer stride: used for crossing sandy or marshy places, streams, etc., and by children for amusement.
- noun In hydraulic engineering, one of a set of piles forming the back for the sheet-piling of a starling.
- noun The handle of a plow.
- noun In ceramics, a support, generally of iron, used to hold a piece of pottery in the kiln, to allow the fire free access to the bottom of the piece. Also called
cockspur and spur (which see). - noun [Abbr. of stilt-bird.] In ornithology, any bird of the genus Himantopus: so called from the extremely long, slender legs.
- To raise above the ordinary or normal position or surface, as if by the use of stilts.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb To raise on stilts, or as if on stilts.
- noun A pole, or piece of wood, constructed with a step or loop to raise the foot above the ground in walking. It is sometimes lashed to the leg, and sometimes prolonged upward so as to be steadied by the hand or arm.
- noun Prov. Eng. A crutch; also, the handle of a plow.
- noun (Zoöl.) Any species of limicoline birds belonging to Himantopus and allied genera, in which the legs are remarkably long and slender. Called also
longshanks ,stiltbird ,stilt plover , andlawyer . - noun (Zoöl.) the stilt.
- noun (Zoöl.) an American sandpiper (
Micropalama himantopus ) having long legs. The bill is somewhat expanded at the tip.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Either of two
poles with footrests that allow someone to stand or walk above the ground; used mostly byentertainers . - noun A tall
pillar orpost used to support somestructure ; often abovewater . - noun Any of various
wading birds of the generaHimantopus andCladorhynchus , related to theavocet , that have extremely long legs and long thinbills . - verb to
raise on stilts, or as if on stilts
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a column of wood or steel or concrete that is driven into the ground to provide support for a structure
- noun one of two stout poles with foot rests in the middle; used for walking high above the ground
- noun long-legged three-toed wading bird of brackish marshes of Australia
- noun long-legged three-toed black-and-white wading bird of inland ponds and marshes or brackish lagoons
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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The veined octopus under study manages a behavioural trick that the researchers call stilt walking.
Gaea Times (by Simple Thoughts) Breaking News and incisive views 24/7 2009
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The veined octopus under study manages a behavioral trick that the researchers call stilt walking.
Impact Lab 2009
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The veined octopus under study manages a behavioral trick that the researchers call stilt walking.
YubaNet.com 2009
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The veined octopus under study manages a behavioral trick that the researchers call stilt walking.
PhysOrg.com - latest science and technology news stories 2009
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It was an odd creature perched upon stilts; one of those persons called the stilt-walkers.
John Enderby Gilbert Parker 1897
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It was an odd creature perched upon stilts; one of those persons called the stilt-walkers.
The Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Gilbert Parker Gilbert Parker 1897
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These birds are of the plover family, and might with propriety be called the stilt plovers.
The Natural History of Selborne, Vol. 2 Gilbert White 1756
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Researchers have found that the veined octopus manages a behavioral trick called stilt walking, in which it can carry a coconut shell under its body while making its eight arms into stilts.
Impact Lab 2009
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Children can have a go at circus and other fun pursuits, such as stilt and slack-rope walking, hula hoops, juggling, magic and boomerang throwing.
The Advertiser 2009
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He also said something about a stilt walker on loan from the Big Apple Circus, two beggars at a butcher shop, even a bear.
Suiting Up for the Met Ralph Gardner Jr. 2011
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