v. Now arch. Forms: 3–5 stablis, 4 stablys, stablisce, 4–5 stablisse, 4, 6 stablische, 4–6 stablisshe, 5 stablice, -esshe, -ych, -ysh, 5–6 stablysche, -ysshe, 6 stablyshe, ishe, (stablyszshe), 8–9 ’stablish, 4– stablish; also pa. t. and pa. pple. 3–4 stablist, 4 stablyste (Sc. stabelaste), 4, 6 stabliste. [Variant of ESTABLISH v.] = ESTABLISH v. in various senses.
From the 16th c. there seems to have been a tendency to confine the use of the form stablish to those uses in which the relation of meaning to stable adj. is apparent, i.e., where the notion is rather ‘to strengthen or support (something existing)’ than ‘to found or set up.’ The modern currency of the word is purely literary, and reminiscent of the Bible or Prayer Book.
1. trans. To place or set (a material thing) firmly in position; to station (a person) in a place. Obs. exc. in figurative context.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 21288. Tuin axils [of an allegorical ‘wain’] er tuin laghs, i-wiss,… þe carter self is iesus crist, His bodi es yock he has stablist.
a. 1325. Prose Ps. xxx[i]. 10. Ne þou ne shettest me nouȝt in þe hondes of þyn enemy; þou stablisced my fete in large stede.
c. 1450. Merlin, iii. 59. Ye shall stablisshe the thirde table in the name of the trinite.
c. 1500. Melusine, i. 17. There the lady Pressyne stablysshed a stronge geaunt to the sauegarde of the tresoure.
1650. Sc. Psalms xciii. 5. The world is also stablished, that it can not depart.
1845. Bailey, Festus (ed. 2), 198. Heaven’s eternal base, Whereon God’s throne is ’stablished.
2. To set (a person, etc.) permanently in an office, dignity or condition.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xii. (Mathias), 318. Spedful thinge vare & gud, þat we stablyste ane in þe place, þe quhyle to supple of Iudas.
1439. Charters, etc. Edin. (1871), 64. We … be thir present lettres makis, stablissis, and ordanis … schir Robert Logane … oure baileye off fee.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, III. xv. 118. The kyng stablysshed all his knyghtes and gaf them that were of londes not ryche he gaf them londes.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, h j b. God chose and stablysshed [c. 1450. lxxxvii. 111 ordeyned] hym [Moses] mayster and gouournour ouer alle his people.
1738. Wesley, Ps. CXXXII. iv. I will thy faithful seed increase, And ’stablish them on David’s Throne.
1805–6. Cary, Dante, Inf., II. 24. Both which … were ordain’d And stablish’d for the holy place, where sits Who to great Peter’s sacred chair succeeds.
† 3. To ordain permanently (a law, rule, etc.)
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 2137. That same prince … Hath stablissed in this wrecched world adoun Certeyne dayes and duracioun [etc.].
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, I. v. (Skeat), 58. Wiste thou not wel that al the lawe of kynde is my lawe, and by god ordayned and stablisshed to dure by kynde resoun?
c. 1417. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 2232. By sotilte Brekynge bondes þat stablisshed were Mankynde to profite.
a. 1483. Liber Niger, in Househ. Ord. (1790), 18. Hardeknoute was the furst that began iiii meales stablyshed in oon day.
1530. Palsgr., 731/2. I stablysshe, I make by acte, je actifie.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., Pref. A v b. This bound they forgot, when they stablished … so many maisterly determinations without any woord of God.
1615. Sylvester, Job Triumphant, III. 329. For the raine hee stablisht a Decree.
† 4. To set up or found securely (a government, a condition of things). Obs.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., V. i. 10. And stablish quietnesse on euery side.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus iii. 1. We haue stablished the regal power ouer all persons Ecclesiastical as well as others.
1855. Singleton, Virgil, II. 493. In suchlike words between them stablished they [firmabant] The leagues amid the nobles’ view.
† 5. To bring into settled order (a country, affairs, etc.). Obs.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, X. 303. He wex so wiss and avise, That his land first weill stablist he.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, I. vii. 44. Whanne … the kyng had stablisshed alle the countreyes aboute london.
1600. E. Blount, trans. Conestaggio, 221. He now laboured to stablish the affaires.
6. To render indubitable, support by proof or testimony.
a. 1325. MS. Rawl. B. 520, lf. 57. Ȝif he stablisseth him to be lasse he ne sal noȝt ansuerien of ani tenement for acheson of possession or of prosprete are he be of plener age.
1530. Palsgr., 731/2. What so ever he saye, I wyll stablysche it.
1550. Cranmer, Def. Bath. Doctr., title-p., A confutation of sundry errors concernyng the same, grounded and stablished upon Goddes holy woorde.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., IV. 50. That whatsoeuer they shal determine on the one side or the other, maye be stablished and certayne to our mindes.
1885–94. R. Bridges, Eros & Psyche, July x. It is true That much hath hapt to stablish what ye teach.
7. To make secure, strengthen, reinforce.
1382. Wyclif, Rom. iii. 31. Therefore distrye we the lawe by the feith? Fer be it; but we stablischen [Vulg. statuimus] the lawe.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., I. (1811), 11. When Brute … sawe that he was stablysshed in his Realme quyetly, he … commaundyd [etc.].
1586. Marlowe, 1st Pt. Tamburl., IV. iv. (ad fin.), When holy Fates Shall stablish me in strong Egyptia.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, X. liii. My weake estate to stablish come thou art.
1611. Bible, 1 Chron. xviii. 3. As hee went to stablish his dominion.
1667. Milton, P. L., XII. 347. Remembring … his Cov’nant sworn to David, stablisht as the dayes of Heav’n.
1696. Tate & Brady, Ps. xciii. 3. How surely stablisht is thy Throne!
1810. Southey, Kehama, XVIII. vi. Over Earth and Heaven my reign Is stablish’d.
1869. M. Arnold, Cult. & An., ii. 92. it is stablishing the State on behalf of whatever great changes are needed.
8. To render stable in faith, virtue, etc.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys, Christina, 77. In þis [sc. faith] me stablych, lorde, I þe preye.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. li. 12. O geue me the comforte of thy helpe agayne, and stablish me with thy fre sprete.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 662. For he himselfe, whether he were past all feare, or was not well stablished in his perfite minde,… boldely entred into Englande.
1611. Bible, 1 Thess. iii. 13. To the end hee may stablish your hearts vnblameable in holinesse.
1738. Wesley, Ps. LI. xiii. Stablish, and keep my faithful Heart.
1784. Cowper, Task, II. 343. He stablishes the strong, restores the weak.
1841. Emerson, Ess., Ser. I. viii. (1876), 208. Let him go home much, and stablish himself in those courses he approves.
1862. Trench, Poems, Justin Martyr, 15. I thought to arm my soul, And stablish it in self control.
Hence Stablished ppl. a., † Stablishing vbl. sb.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 27151. Wit stablising of hali kirck.
c. 1470. Tiptoft, Cæsar, V. xiii. (1530), 16. Þt nyghtys were shorter there than they be in the stablysshed lande [in continente].
1570. T. Norton, trans. Nowell’s Catech., 2 b. All these thinges serue … to the orderly stablishyng of the outward gouernance of the Chirch.
1655. G. Firmin (title), Stablishing against Shaking, or a Discovery of the Prince of Darknesse.
1709. Cobb, Poems (ed. 2), 5. Whose bold Presumption dares transgress Thy stablish’d Articles of Peace, Or disobey thy Law?
1885. R. Bridges, Nero, III. iv. 16/2. Thou … yet would’st dare … to thwart My stablished purpose?
