stu:l n. & v. --n. 1 a
seat without a
back or arms, usu.
for one person and consisting of a
wooden slab on
three or
four short legs. 2 a =
FOOTSTOOL. b a low
bench for kneeling
on. 3 (usu. in pl.) =
FAECES. 4
the root or
stump of a
tree or
plant from which the shoots
spring. 5 US a decoy-bird in
hunting. --v.intr. (of a plant)
throw up shoots from the root. øfall
between two stools
fail from vacillation between two courses etc. stool-pigeon 1 a person
acting as a
decoy (orig. a decoy of a pigeon fixed to a stool). 2 a
police informer. [OE
stol f. Gmc, rel. to STAND]