Obs. Forms: 1 stíʓ (stiiʓ), 2, 4 stiȝ, 3 Orm. stiȝhe, stih, 3–4 sti, 4 stighe (steghe, stieghe, stighte), styȝe, 4–5 stie, stye, 4–6 sty, (6 dial. stee). [OE. slíʓ fem. = MDu. stîge (early mod.Du. stijghe), OHG. stiga (MHG. stîge):—OTeut. *stīʓō; a parallel masc. form *stīʓo-z is represented by MLG. slîch, stîg-, OHG., MHG. stîc-, stîg- (mod.G. steig), ON. stíg-r (MSw. stîgher, mod.Sw. stig, Da. sti). From Teut. root *stĭʓ- to go, climb: see STY v.1
Synonymous words from other grades of the root are Goth. staiga, OHG. steiga (MHG. steige):—OTeut. staîʓō; MLG. stech, steg- (LG. steg); MDu. stege (mod.Du. steeg fem., path, steg masc., narrow bridge):—OTeut. stîʓu-z.]
A path or narrow way.
Beowulf, 320. Stræt wæs stan-fah stiʓ wisode gumum ætgædere.
c. 725. Corpus Gloss., 651. Devia callis, horweg [= orweʓ] stiʓ.
[c. 875. Erfurt Gloss., 340. Devia callis, horuaeg stiiʓ.]
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Th.), cxviii. [cxix]. 105. Þæt ys þæt strange leoht stiʓe minre.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 7. Þe witeȝa het þet we sculde makien his stiʓes [rihte]; þenne make we ham rihte ȝef we haldet his beode.
c. 1200. Ormin, 6208. Tatt narrwe stih Þatt ledeþþ ȝunnc till heoffne.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 3958. Balaam … bet and went it to ðe sti Bi-twen two walles of ston.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 4575. I folud siþen, me-thoght, a sti Vntil a feild.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 14191. To Souþhaumptone he tok þe sty.
1382. Wyclif, Job xix. 8. My sty he heggide aboute, and I mai not gon ouer.
a. 1430. Seven Sages (Cott. Galba), 3621. Þan sho toke þe preue sty Into þe toure ful hastily.
b. Alliterative phrase, by sty and street.
c. 1205. Lay., 16366. Ten þusend Scottes he sende bi-halues þe hæðene to imete bi stiȝen & by straten.
c. 1425. Cast. Persev., 364. Leue hym nowth, but cum with me, be stye & strete!
a. 1600. Flodden F., ii. (1664), 18. He brought them on by stee and street.
