adv. Obs. Forms: 1 stund-, stuntmǽlum, 2 stundmele, 4–5 stound(e)mele, 4 stowndmeel, 5 stonedemel. [OE. stundmǽlum: see STOUND sb. and -MEAL.]
1. At intervals, from time to time.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., xxxviii. (Z.), 238. Vicissim stundmælum.
c. 1000. Ags. Gloss., in Haupt’s Zeitschr. (1853), IX. 438/2. Alternatim (gl. singulatim, marg. separatim) tvæmendlice vel stundmælum.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 113. And wunede mid his disciples noht alegate ac stundmele.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 736. A-wai wold it neuer but gan to studie stoundemele so stifly þer-onne þat lelly be a litel while his langure gan wex.
1382. Wyclif, Num. x. 7. Whanne forsothe the puple is to gederynge togidre, shal be symple criynge of trompes, and not stowndmeel thei shulen ȝolle.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 2304. The lyf of loue is ful contrarie, Which stounde mele can ofte varie.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 19179. Thus stoundemel ȝe may hym se Some tyme swymme, som tyme fflee. Ibid. (c. 1430), Min. Poems (Percy Soc.). 159. Som folk pesible, som contrarious, Stonedemel now hevy and now lihte.
1481. Caxton, Reynard, xvii. (Arb.), 40. The foxe loked on the kyng stoundmele, and was glad in his herte.
¶ b. quasi-adj. That exists at times.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 3784. Who serueth loue can telle of woo; The stoundemele ioie mote overgoo.
2. Gradually.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., xxxviii. (Z.), 228. Sensim, stundmælum.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, V. 674. Þis wynde þat moore and moore Þus stoundemele encresseth in my face.
c. 1400. Ragman Roll, 62, in Hazl., E. P. P., I. 72. And now cometh age, foo to your beaute, And stelyngly it wastyth stowndemele.
