Forms: 4–6 stanchon (5 stanzon), 6 stancon; 5–6 staunchon (5 stauncyon, -son, stawncion), 9 stauncheon, -ion (Sc. -en); 6 stancion, -cyon, 6 stanchinge, 7–9 stantion, 9 stanchient, stantient, 8–9 dial. stansion; 7 Sc. stenchen, 8, 9 stancheon, 7– stanchion. [a. OF. estanchon, estançon (mod.F. étançon), f. estance prop:—popular L. *stantia: see STANCE sb.]
1. An upright bar, stay, prop or support. a. gen.
[1343. in Archæologia, LXIV. 148. In ij hominibus facientibus lacch’ et stanchons ad idem.]
1433–4. in Fabric Rolls York Minster (Surtees), 53. Et iiij peciis pro stanzones.
1530. Palsgr., 275/2. Staunchon a proppe, estancon.
1532. in Bayley, Tower Lond., I. App. p. xxij. A larder hous … wt planks rownde by the walls, and stancions wt pyns and hoks to hange the flesshe on.
1553. Brende, Q. Curtius, A a iij. Least the earth washed upon with the raine might fall altogether, there were stanchinges of timbre putte betwixte to staie the whole worke.
1760–72. trans. Juan & Ulloa’s Voy. (ed. 3), I. 181. The posts or stancheons by which the building is supported.
1791. Smeaton, Edystone L. (1793), § 97. The iron stanchions and particularities of each step.
1865. Morn. Star, 3 Feb. Huge piles of balks were hurled with terrific violence from the stanchions which supported and held them in their places.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., Stanchion. 2. (Machinery) a principal post of a frame; especially one giving lateral support.
b. spec. of a window. Also see quot. 1836.
1472–3. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 247. Pro factura vij stawncions ferri pro nova fenestra ad scaccariam Elemos., vij d.
1530. in J. Croft, Excerpta Ant. (1797), 16. vi Stancons for a bay Window.
1565. Richmond Wills (Surtees), 178. j stancyon of iron and a barre.
1609. Bible (Douay), 2 Kings i. 2. Ochozias fel through the stanchions of his upper chamber.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xxxiii. The stancheons on the window of the strong room are wasted to pieces.
1836. Parker, Gloss. Archit. (1850), I. 444. Stanchion, the upright iron bar between the mullions of a window, screen, &c…. The name is also sometimes applied to mullions, and apparently to the quarters or studs of wooden partitions.
1840. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Pref. An antiquated Manor house of Elizabethan architecture, with its gable ends, stone stanchions [etc.].
c. Shipbuilding.
1591. Horsey, Trav. (Hakl. Soc.), 186. Everie shipe caries … stancions for fights.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., vii. 32. The Roufe-trees … are … supported by Stantions that rest vpon the … Decke.
1703. Dampier, Voy., III. I. 19. To keep the Boat thus with the Head to the Shore,… there are two strong Stantions set up in the Boat.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), Stanchion, a sort of small pillar of wood or iron used for various purposes in a ship; as to support the decks, the quarter-rails, the nettings, the awnings, &c.
1805. Shipwright’s Vade-M., 134. Stantions or Stantients.
1835. Marryat, Jacob Faithful, ix. At last the captain crawled up, and clung by the stanchions.
c. 1850. Rudim. Navig. (Weale), 152. Stanchions or Stanchients.
d. Mining.
1855. J. R. Leifchild, Cornwall Mines, 154. An upper joist … resting on two lateral upright posts, or stanchions.
1883. Gresley, Gloss. Coal-mining, 237.
e. (See quot.)
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., Stanchion. 5. The vertical bars of a stall for cattle.
† 2. A case for an inkhorn. Obs.
1404–5. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 400. Pro j stanchon’ pro incausto pro scaccario, 18 d.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 473/1. Staunchon, to set yn an ynke horne, forulus.
3. attrib. and Comb.: as stanchion-bar, -post, -rope, -waste (= -rope waste); stanchion-gun, a gun mounted in a boat for wild-fowl shooting.
1833. Loudon, Encycl. Archit., § 239. Window frames … with one-inch iron *stanchion bars.
1815. Col. Hawker, Diary (1893), I. 140. Building a new canoe and *stanchion gun.
1889. A. Chapman, Bird-Life Borders, Pref. A long apprenticeship to rod, fowling-piece and stanchion-gun.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., Stanchion. 5. The vertical bars of a stall for cattle. In the example, the *stanchion-post is pivoted so as to swing horizontally.
1750. Blanckley, Naval Expos., 136. *Stantion Ropes reeved through the Eyes of the Stantions.
1711. W. Sutherland, Shipbuild. Assist., 131. Ropes … *Stancheon Waste, worn.
