Logo
Search icon

stale

/steɪl/

noun

Meaning

  • Something stale; a loaf of bread or the like that is no longer fresh.

verb

Meaning

  • (of alcohol) To make stale; to age in order to clear and strengthen (a drink, especially beer).

  • To make stale; to cause to go out of fashion or currency; to diminish the novelty or interest of, particularly by excessive exposure or consumption.

  • To become stale; to grow odious from excessive exposure or consumption.

  • (alcohol) To become stale; to grow unpleasant from age.

adjective

Meaning

  • (alcohol) Clear, free of dregs and lees; old and strong.

  • No longer fresh, in reference to food, urine, straw, wounds, etc.

  • No longer fresh, new, or interesting, in reference to ideas and immaterial things; cliche, hackneyed, dated.

  • No longer nubile or suitable for marriage, in reference to people; past one's prime.

  • Fallow, in reference to land.

  • Unreasonably long in coming, in reference to claims and actions.

    "a stale affidavit"

  • Taking a long time to change

  • Worn out, particularly due to age or over-exertion, in reference to athletes and animals in competition.

  • Out of date, unpaid for an unreasonable amount of time, particularly in reference to checks.

  • Of data: out of date; not synchronized with the newest copy.

    "The bug was found to be caused by stale data in the cache."