Obs. Forms: 1 stefn, 4–5 stevene, 5 stevyn, (steywyne), 6 stevin, stewin, 4–6, 8–9 north. steven. See also STEM sb.3 [OE. stefn masc. (also stemn STEM sb.3), cogn. with ON. stef fixed time, summons, stefna (see next). The Teut. root appears to be *steƀ-.]
1. A time, turn, vicissitude, occasion. Níwan stefne (OE.), afresh, anew. To change (by) stevens (= L. mutare vices), to take turns.
Beowulf, 2594. Hyrte hyne hordweard,… niwan stefne nearo þrowode fyre befongen, se ðe ær folce weold.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VIII. x. (Tollemache MS.). For as a weþer in lyinge up, on on side turneþ and chaungeþ by euen steuines; so þe sonne beynge in … aries makeþ euenesse of day and nyȝte. Ibid., XII. Introd. And þey [cranes] ordeyne wacches, and in wakynge chaungen steuines.
1590. Cobler of Canterb., 50. [Descr. Scholar.] Mickle could he say at each steuen Of the liberall Arts seuen.
2. A set or appointed time; a date fixed for a meeting or a payment.
In ME. chiefly in the phrases to set a steven, to appoint a time; at set steven, at the or a fixed time; at unset steven, by chance, unpreparedly; to break one’s steven, to fail to keep an appointment.
a. 1225. Juliana, 7. Ant efter lutle stounde wið ute long steuene wes him seolf sonde to Affrican.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Compl. Mars, 52. That by her bothe assent was set a steuen That Mars shal entre.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1060. Þer was stabled bi statut a steuen vus by-twene. Ibid., 2213. Who stiȝtles in þis sted, me steuen to holde?
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 666. For al day meeteth men at vnset steuene.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 30. Wher was ther evere such a knyht, That so … Of Slowthe and of foryetelnesse Agein his trowthe brak his stevene?
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xxviii. 125. Me dere fader of heuen … ffrom ded to lif at set stevyn rasid me.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, II. xiv. 92. Yf I slee hym here I shall not scape. And yf I leue hym now perauentur I shalle neuer mete with hym ageyne at suche a steuen.
1543. St. Papers Hen. VIII., V. 287. The Cardinal … will sodenly, ere he be ware, prevent hym, and take hym at such unsett stewin, as he nor all the frondes he hath shall not be able to relief hym. Ibid., X. 723. And, as it chaunced, we met even at on steven, before the tent.
1555. W. Watreman, Fardle of Facions, App. 345. That … ye maie haue wholesome remedies, when nede is, and not be driuen to sieke remedie at vnsette steuin.
a. 1600. Robin Hood & Guy of Gisb., xxvii. in Child, Ballads, III. 93/1. Wee may chance mee[t] with Robin Hoode Att some vnsett steven.
b. A convened assembly.
1481. Botoner, Tulle of Old Age (Caxton). When I am in my village … I make every day meetings stevyns, and assemblies of my neighbours.
3. Comb.: † steven-free, some kind of right enjoyed by certain tenants with regard to the use of the lord’s mill; ? exemption from restriction to particular times.
1316. Covenant at Bishop’s Castle, Salop (Addit. Chart. 40846). Concessit etiam dictus Rogerus … predicto Philippo … Steuenefreo in dicto molendino suo.
