[Anglicized form of STADIUM, Cf. F. stade and STADIE; also STAGE sb.]
1. a. An ancient measure of length; STADIUM 1.
c. 1537. Paynel, in De Benese, Measurynge Lande, Pref. + iiij. Famouse quantytes, as a fynger … a pase, a perche, a stade and a myle.
1554. W. Pratte, Aphrique, D viij b. Meroe … is an Ilonde in forme of a tryangle … and dothe extende almost thre thousand Stades.
1600. J. Melvill, Autobiog. & Diary (Wodrow Soc.), 420. A mightie erthquak … reased the halff of the montean Eroge,… and caried it four stades, that is, halff a myll.
1642. H. More, Song of Soul, II. App. 41. Distances … such as were of yore, Measur’d by leagues, miles, stades.
1800. Rennell, Geogr. Syst. Herodotus, ii. 13. In common acceptation we find a stade commensurate to a furlong. Ibid. The Grecian itinerary stade.
1838. Leake, in Jrnl. R. Geog. Soc., IX. 1. On the Stade, as a Linear Measure.
1869. Tozer, Highl. Turkey, II. 128. Strabo says that the ruins … were situated above Demetrias, at seven stades distance from it.
1885–94. R. Bridges, Eros & Psyche, Jan. xxix. On the eastern coast, some forty stades, There stood a temple of her goddess foe.
b. A stadium or course for foot-racing. Also attrib. rare.
1875. Browning, Aristoph. Apol., 16. When he had run life’s proper race and worked Quite to the stade’s end. Ibid., 18. He … Turned stade-point but to face Activity.
† 2. a. A stage in a journey. b. A stage in the progress of a disease: = STADIUM 3. Obs.
1616. J. Lane, Contn. Sqr.’s T., VI. 91. Post horse he laid at everie fittinge stade.
1710. T. Fuller, Pharm. Extemp., 274. Such a Consumption as is not yet gone beyond its first Stade.
