The meaning of the word stable

English[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsteɪbl̩/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈsteɪb(ə)l/
• Rhymes: -eɪbəl
• Hyphenation: sta‧ble

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle English stable, borrowed from Anglo-Norman stable, singular derived from the plural Latin stab(u)la (“dwellings, stables”).

Noun[edit]

stable (plural stables)

1. A building, wing or dependency set apart and adapted for lodging and feeding (and training) ungulates, especially horses.

   There were stalls for fourteen horses in the squire’s stables.

   • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:

     We made an odd party before the arrival of the Ten, particularly when the Celebrity dropped in for lunch or dinner. He could not be induced to remain permanently at Mohair because Miss Trevor was at Asquith, but he appropriated a Hempstead cart from the Mohair stables and made the trip sometimes twice in a day.

2. (metonymically) All the racehorses of a particular stable, i.e. belonging to a given owner.
3. (Scotland) A set of advocates; a barristers’ chambers.
4. (sumo) An organization of sumo wrestlers who live and train together.

   Synonym: heya

5. (professional wrestling) A group of wrestlers who support each other within a wrestling storyline.

   • 2022 September 17, Thomas Kika, “WWE’s Logan Paul Confronts Roman Reigns Amid Rumors of Major Title Bout”, in Newsweek‎^[1]:

     Paul, who signed with WWE in late June, appeared in a segment with Reigns’ stable, the Bloodline, on Friday’s episode of SmackDown after making comments earlier in the week regarding a potential match with the Tribal Chief.

6. A group of prostitutes managed by one pimp.

   Synonym: string

   • 2013, Noble Dee, Pimp: Reflection of My Life (page 167)

     My pimp vision enabled me to see that no hoe in my stable would be more worthy of the game than my young turnout red-bones.

7. A group of people who are looked after, mentored, or trained in one place or for a particular purpose or profession.

Derived terms[edit]

• Augean stables
• stablemate

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

stable (third-person singular simple present stables, present participle stabling, simple past and past participle stabled)

1. (transitive) to put or keep (an animal) in a stable.
   • 1954, C. S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy, Collins, 1998, Chapter 7,

     «I hope your have been quite comfortable.» ¶ «Never better stabled in my life,» said Bree.

2. (intransitive) to dwell in a stable.
3. (rail transport, transitive) to park (a rail vehicle).

   • 1960 July, Trains Illustrated, page 385, photo caption:

     S.R. Pacific No. 34010 Sidmouth leaves Wembley Central to stable the stock of its excursion from the S.R. at North Wembley; the train was run in connection with a Wembley football event on April 30, 1960.

   • 2020 April 22, “Fleet News: Passenger operators put parts of fleet into warm storage…”, in Rail, page 25:

     Great Western Railway has placed its Class 143 Pacer fleet into warm storage, with the majority stabled at Exeter.

Derived terms[edit]

• (rail transport): outstable

[edit]

Translations[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

From Middle English stable, from Anglo-Norman stable, stabel, from Latin stabilis (“firm, steadfast”) (itself from stare (“stand”) + -abilis (“able”)). Displaced native Old English staþolfæst.

Adjective[edit]

stable (comparative stabler or more stable, superlative stablest or most stable)

1. Relatively unchanging, steady, permanent; firmly fixed or established; consistent; not easily moved, altered, or destroyed.

   He was in a stable relationship.

   a stable government

   • a. 1729, John Rogers, The Greatness of the Gospel Salvation

     In this region of chance, […] where nothing ws stable.

2. (computing) Of software: established to be relatively free of bugs, as opposed to a beta version.

   You should download the 1.9 version of that video editing software: it is the latest stable version. The newer beta version has some bugs.

3. (computer science, of a sorting algorithm) That maintains the relative order of items that compare as equal.

Synonyms[edit]

• (relatively unchanging): fixed, unvarying; see also Thesaurus:steady

Antonyms[edit]

• instable
• mobile
• unstable
• varying

Derived terms[edit]

• bistable
• instable
• tristable
• unistable
• unstable

Translations[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

• Bestla, ablest, ablets, bastle, belast, blates, bleats, tables

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin stabilis. Replaced Middle French, Old French estable, an earlier borrowing from the same Latin source.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /stabl/

Adjective[edit]

stable (plural stables)

1. stable (relatively unchanging)

   Antonym: instable

[edit]

• stabiliser
• stabilité

Descendants[edit]

• → Turkish: stabil

Further reading[edit]

• “stable”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams[edit]

• baltes, tables

Middle English[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Anglo-Norman stable, singular derived from the plural Latin stab(u)la (“dwellings, stables”).

Noun[edit]

stable (plural stables or stablen)

1. stable (building for horses)

   • c. 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue, lines 28-29:

     The chambres and the stables weren wyde, / And wel we weren esed atte beste;

     The rooms and stables spacious were and wide, / And well we there were eased, and of the best.

Alternative forms[edit]

• stabel, stabele, stabil, stabille, stabul, stabulle

Descendants[edit]

• English: stable
• Scots: stable
• → Middle Irish: stábla
  • Irish: stábla
  • Scottish Gaelic: stàball

References[edit]

• “stāble, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 2[edit]

From Anglo-Norman stable, stabel, from Latin stabilis (“firm, steadfast”).

Adjective[edit]

stable (comparative stabler or stablere or stablour)

1. stable (relatively unchanging)

Alternative forms[edit]

• stabel, stabele, stabil, stabul

Descendants[edit]

• English: stable
• Scots: stable

References[edit]

• “stāble, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 3[edit]

Noun[edit]

stable (plural stables)

1. Alternative form of stablie

Etymology 4[edit]

Noun[edit]

stable (plural stables)

1. Alternative form of stapel

Etymology 5[edit]

Verb[edit]

stable (third-person singular simple present stableth, present participle stablende, stablynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle stabled)

1. Alternative form of stablen (“to establish”)

Norwegian Bokmål[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From the noun stabel.

Verb[edit]

stable (imperative stabl or stable, present tense stabler, passive stables, simple past and past participle stabla or stablet, present participle stablende)

1. to stack, pile

References[edit]

• “stable” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “stable” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).

Norwegian Nynorsk[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From the noun stabel.

Verb[edit]

stable (present tense stablar, past tense stabla, past participle stabla, passive infinitive stablast, present participle stablande, imperative stable/stabl)

1. to stack, pile

Alternative forms[edit]

• stabla

References[edit]

• “stable” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Recent Examples on the Web

Since late 2020, Reigns’ stable had dominated both Raw and SmackDown, with the Usos becoming record-setting Undisputed Tag Team Champions and Reigns doing the same with the Universal Championship.


—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 2 Apr. 2023




Very clean stables, though.


—Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023




The lower level features three horse stables, storage and heated floors.


—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2023




Sortis — which has bought up or invested in a stable of Northwest brands that includes Bamboo Sushi, Blue Star Donuts, Rudy’s Barbershops and Water Avenue Coffee — will now have 15 hotels in its portfolio.


—oregonlive, 17 Jan. 2023




While Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett don’t inspire a ton of confidence, the Steelers have a deep stable of receivers as usual, a defensive MVP in T.J. Watt, and a coach in Mike Tomlin who has never finished under .500.


—Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2022




West Virginia returns all five offensive lineman starters from last year and has a stable of experienced wide receivers.


—Dallas News, 24 Aug. 2022




Chief creative officer Kevin Feige and his small stable of executives have reliably delivered an unbroken string of global blockbusters to theaters and, starting in 2021, smash TV shows for Disney+.


—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 28 Mar. 2023




For drinks, simply wander back to the former stables where Public House Bar now serves cocktails.


—Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2023

These machines are also commonly used in barns and stables too, and anywhere that flies and mosquitoes could be a health and safety concern.


—Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Mar. 2023




The complex will include three state-of-the-art sound stages boasting more than 50,000 square feet of available real estate, a water tank, 10 acres of backlot, production offices, workshops, a restaurant and horse stables – all just 25 minutes from central Belgrade.


—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 21 Feb. 2023




Moody’s and S & P raised their outlooks to stable from negative earlier this year.


—Dan Petrella, chicagotribune.com, 29 June 2021




The residence sits on 4.2 acres, and the property is zoned to stable up to nine horses, which is great for the equestrian who wants to start building stables right away.


—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 7 Dec. 2022




On Wednesday, King’s Home unveiled a new barn to stable its 11 horses on a farm near Chelsea.


—al, 2 Dec. 2021




Grooms went home to small, mortgaged homes so that Gem might stable her horse, and horses would be broken so that Gem might ride.


—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2021




Baffert will temporarily not be allowed to stable any horses at Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack and Saratoga Race Course or run any of his horses at the New York Racing Association’s tracks.


—The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 May 2021




Additionally, the location where trainers stable their horse matters.


—Andre Toran, The Courier-Journal, 26 Apr. 2021

The teens were taken to a hospital and were stable, Chavez said.


—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2023




Price controls never keep prices stable without shortages developing from consumers consuming more and producers having lower incentives to produce more.


—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2023




An enormous sinkhole, previously believed to be stable, is expanding again, according to Texas officials.


—Laura Barcella, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2023




Related Story The 14 Best Vegan Protein Powders, Per RDs Upping your protein intake in the morning could also help keep your energy levels stable and consistent, says Brown.


—Andi Breitowich, Women’s Health, 4 Apr. 2023




Those numbers have been fairly stable for decades.


—Lydia Depillis, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2023




Djukanovic has been a key Western ally in countering Russian influence and keeping the Balkans stable.


—Predrag Milic, ajc, 2 Apr. 2023




He was taken to a hospital and was stable, police said.


—Aria Jones, Dallas News, 1 Apr. 2023




Is the banking system stable?


—Will Daniel, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2023


See More

During that interview, the journalist asked me why I used the word stable or zoo in my previous interview and I explained it in detail. ❋ Malalai Joya (2009)

The prospect that the country will stabilize soon (as opposed to eventually) and remain stable is not a reason for regarding the war as “successful” on the whole, though it might be a reason for thinking it was or is right to stick it out. ❋ Unknown (2007)

The term stable refers to a version of software that is substantially identical to a version that has been through enough real-world testing to reasonably assume there are no significant problems, or at least that any problems are known and documented. ❋ Unknown (2010)

The term stable refers to a version of software that is substantially identical to a version that has been through enough real-world testing to reasonably assume there are no showstopper problems, or at least that any problems are known and documented. ❋ Unknown (2008)

China and the U.S. have maintained what he describes as stable development, said Li. ❋ Unknown (2010)

You see, I hope, what I mean, when I say that the universe of molecular physics is at a different level from the universe of common experience; — what we call stable and solid is in that world a freely moving system of interlacing centres of force, what we call colour and sound is there no more than this length of vibration or that. ❋ Herbert George (2006)

Using what they call stable isotope analysis, bioarchaeologists can directly determine the dietary sources of carbon and nitrogen by measuring the ratios of carbon 12 and carbon 13 atoms, on the one hand, and of nitrogen 14 and nitrogen 15 atoms on the other. ❋ MICHAEL BALTER (2005)

But you are what we call stable, and that’s the best we can hope for in this place. ❋ Clement, Peter, M.D (2002)

You see, I hope, what I mean when I say that the universe of molecular physics is at a different level from the universe of common experience; — what we call stable and solid is in that world a freely moving system of interlacing centres of force, what we call colour and sound is there no more than this length of vibration of that. ❋ Unknown (1906)

You see, I hope, what I mean, when I say that the universe of molecular physics is at a different level from the universe of common experience; — what we call stable and solid is in that world a freely moving system of interlacing centres of force, what we call colour and sound is there no more than this length of vibration or that. ❋ Unknown (1906)

The loftiness of the stable is another very important point. ❋ Jane (1845)

Veronica Bono tells Cristy that this is her year, and she will be finding somebody very…and then she does a wild psychic-air-quote gesticulation while saying the word «stable.» ❋ Sam Bellikoff (2011)

«Jay Cutler having the surgery now means the bone is broken and shifted or displaced and is not what they call a stable fracture,» said Cohen, a hand surgeon at Chicago’s Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush. ❋ Unknown (2011)

In 2002, physicists at Duke University first created what they called a stable, strongly interacting gas of cold atoms, using the isotope lithium-6. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Sources in the Congress state that the party is in touch with all other smaller parties and independents and by their own arithmetic have reached the magic figure of 41, which is the required majority mark with the party working quietly to put together what they call a stable government. ❋ Unknown (2009)

What I saw amazed me: Michael Fagan, spokesman for St. Vincent’s Medical Center, said Avery is in «stable» condition. ❋ Unknown (2008)

(Indeed, the nature of the family has been in continuous change throughout the country’s history, and the notion that there was once a golden age when American families were simply «stable» is a myth that involves forgetting much of the coutnry’s history, including the effects of, among other things, chattel slavery, immigration, industrialization, war, and so on.). ❋ Unknown (2003)

He had a stable of women. [collection] [numerous] [several] group ❋ Writer181 (2015)

[I am] going to [get me] a [stable of hoes] ❋ Maurice (2003)

The stable rang with the sounds of a young mare [in labor]; the yelps of the other horses brought the farmer running. He and his wife remained calm and stable as they helped the mare give birth to her first [foal], a beautiful chestnut [filly]. ❋ Lorelili (2011)

I’m not rich or poor I’m [STABLE].
The STABLE of people went into [the club].
When a fight [broke out] the man stayed STABLE and won! ❋ No Fear (2006)

There are [too many] men in my stable.
I just [demoted] [the stallion]. ❋ Dutchbroker (2008)

«Did you guys see what happened at the last stable on the episode that was on last night?!?»
«[Shits] [crazy man], those [Mustangs] are insane» ❋ Bartdog (2011)

M$ slave: «Ugh, my [fucking windows] PC fucking crashed again!»
Cool guy 1: «Get Linux, then. It never crashes.»
Cool guy 2: «Or get [Macs], they look and function hella better than dumbass [PCs]» ❋ The Dork Cheese (2004)

[thank fuck] i am more stable than you. this could go terriblue wrong if [one of us] [wasnt]
🖤 ❋ Dia Spora (2019)

[John’s] favourite [pony] was [Rarity], but he couldn’t bring himself to put pictures of her on his wall because he was still in the stable. ❋ Hazzat (2011)

When asked «[hows] it goin» the reply of «Im [propa] [stable], man» ❋ MajorFool (2007)

1	0   0 1. Of an equilibrium, that the dynamic adjustment away from equilibrium converges to the equilibrium. 2. Of an economic variable, not subject to large or erratic fluctuations.

2	0   0 Stable The tendency of a disc to remain straight through most of the flight. Often times a desirable characteristic of a disc in windy situations.

3	0   0 Stable An atmospheric state with warm air above cold air which inhibits the vertical movement of air.

4	0   0 Stable early 13c., «building or enclosure where horses or cows are kept, building for domestic animals,» from Old French stable, estable «a stable, stall» (Modern French étable), also ap [..]

5	0   0 Stable mid-12c., «trustworthy, reliable;» mid-13c., «constant, steadfast; virtuous;» from Old French stable, estable «constant, steadfast, unchanging,» from Latin stabilis » [..]

6	0   0 Stable «to put in a certain place or position,» c. 1300; «to put (a horse) in a stable,» early 14c., from stable (n.) or from Old French establer. Related: Stabled; stabling.

7	0   0 Stable Able to withstand normal environments without disintegrating, as opposed to unstable minerals.

8	0   0 Stable building where horses or other animals are kept.

9	0   0 Stable steady and reliable.

10	0   0 Stable — Describes a disc flying a generally straight and flat flight. See stability.

11	0   0 Stable shelter in a stable; "stable horses" a farm building for housing horses or other livestock firm and dependable; subject to little fluctuation; "the economy is st [..]

12	0   0 Stable A term used to describe a disc that flies generally straight.

13	0   0 Stable Definition A price or rate which changes only slowly. opposite of volatile.

14	0   0 Stable To dream of a stable, is a sign of fortune and advantageous surroundings. To see a stable burning denotes successful changes, or it may be seen in actual life.

15	0   0 Stable Incapable of spontaneous radioactive decay.

16	0   0 Stable (1) A stable nuclide is one that stays as it is for a long time, without decaying into a different nuclide. (2) In ordinary English, stable means ‘not easily changed).

17	0   0 Stable Non-radioactive.

18	0   0 Stable Does not decay. A particle is stable if there exist no processes in which a particle disappears and in its place two or more different particles appear.

19	0   0 Stable A building, wing or dependency set apart and adapted for lodging and feeding (and training) animals with hoofs, especially horses (metonymy) all the racehorses of a particular stable, i.e. belonging t [..]

20	0   0 Stable A sort is said to be stable, if the existing order is undisturbed when two records have identical keys. When sorting primitives, stabitity is irrelevant. You can’t tell if a sort disturbed the order [..]

21	0   0 Stable (n) a farm building for housing horses or other livestock(v) shelter in a stable(adj) resistant to change of position or condition(adj) firm and dependable; subject to little fluctuation(adj) not [..]

22	0   0 Stable Nonreactive; resistant to chemical change (Lessons 9, 10)

23	0   0 Stable inconcussus, stabilis

24	0   0 Stable A group of victims who are under the control of a single pimp.

25	0   0 Stable One of cPanel & WHM’s release tiers. Versions on this tier have received considerable public exposure, testing, and verification. For more information, read our cPanel & WHM Product Versions and the Release Process documentation.

26	0   0 Stable Where all your pets are stored. Can be accessed through the inventory.

27	0   0 Stable A state attained by wine when all fermentation has ceased at 60 degrees fahrenheit. See Wine Stabilizer

28	0   0 Stable Able to withstand normal environments without disintegrating, unlike unstable minerals.

29	0   0 Stable An atmospheric state with warm air above cold air which inhibits the vertical movement of air.

30	0   0 Stable adj. «stable, steadfast; unchanging; certain, reliable,» s.v. stable a. OED. KEY: stable@adj

31	0   0 Stable adj 34 stable 34

32	0   0 Stable adv. «steadfastly»; not in OED. KEY: stable@adv

33	0   0 Stable adv 1 stable 1

34	0   0 Stable n. «stable, horse barn,» s.v. stable sb.1 OED. KEY: stable@n

35	0   0 Stable n 5 stable 4 stables 1

36	0   0 Stable An atmospheric state with warm air above cold air which inhibits the vertical movement of air.

37	0   0 Stable a group of writers that an editor works with frequently

38	0   0 Stable An atmospheric state with warm air above cold air which inhibits the vertical movement of air.

39	0   0 Stable A system that is resistant to change of position or condition. See also unstable.

40	0   0 Stable A building, wing or dependency set apart and adapted for lodging and feeding (and training) animals with hoofs, especially horses. (There were stalls for fourteen horses in the squire’s stables.) [..]

41	0   0 Stable A group of victims who are under the control of a single pimp.

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