stool, n. [AS. stōl a seat; akin to OFries. & OS. stōl, D. stoel, G. stuhl, OHG. stuol, Icel. stōll, Sw. & Dan. stol, Goth. stōls, Lith. stalas a table, Russ. stol'; from the root of E. stand. √163. See Stand, and cf. Fauteuil.].

A single seat with three or four legs and without a back, made in various forms for various uses. [1913 Webster]
A seat used in evacuating the bowels; hence, an evacuation; a discharge from the bowels. [1913 Webster]
A stool pigeon, or decoy bird. [1913 Webster]
A small channel on the side of a vessel, for the dead-eyes of the backstays. Totten. [1913 Webster]
A bishop's seat or see; a bishop-stool. J. P. Peters. [1913 Webster]
A bench or form for resting the feet or the knees; a footstool; as, a kneeling stool. [1913 Webster]
Material, such as oyster shells, spread on the sea bottom for oyster spat to adhere to. [1913 Webster]

Stool of a window, or Window stool (Arch.), the flat piece upon which the window shuts down, and which corresponds to the sill of a door; in the United States, the narrow shelf fitted on the inside against the actual sill upon which the sash descends. This is called a window seat when broad and low enough to be used as a seat. -- Stool of repentance, the cuttystool. [Scot.] -- Stool pigeon, a pigeon used as a decoy to draw others within a net; hence, a person used as a decoy for others.

top

OXFORD DICTIONARY

stool, 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.

Idiom

fall 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.

Etymology

OE stol f. Gmc, rel. to STAND

top

THESAURUS

stool

BM, babble, be indiscreet, be unguarded, bear witness against, bedpan, betray, betray a confidence, betrayer, blab, blabber, bloody flux, blow the whistle, blurt, blurt out, bowel movement, buffalo chips, ca-ca, can, canary, catharsis, chamber, chamber pot, chemical closet, chemical toilet, commode, coprolite, coprolith, cow chips, cow flops, cow pats, crap, crapper, defecate, defecation, dejection, diarrhea, dingleberry, droppings, dung, dysentery, evacuate, evacuation, feces, feculence, fink, flux, give away, guano, inform, inform against, inform on, jakes, jerry, john, johnny, jordan, latrine, leak, let drop, let fall, let slip, lientery, loose bowels, manure, movement, narc, nark, night soil, number two, ordure, peach, pimp, piss pot, potty, potty-chair, purgation, purge, rat, reveal a secret, runs, sell out, sewage, sewerage, shit, shits, sing, snitch, snitch on, spill, spill the beans, squeak, squeal, squealer, stool pigeon, take a shit, talk, tattle, tattle on, tell on, tell secrets, tell tales, testify against, throne, thunder mug, tipster, toilet, trots, turd, turistas, turn informer, urinal, void, voidance, water closet

top

ROGET THESAURUS

stool

Support

N support, ground, foundation, base, basis, terra firma, bearing, fulcrum, bait, caudex crib, point d'appui, pou sto, purchase footing, hold, locus standi, landing place, landing stage, stage, platform, block, rest, resting place, groundwork, substratum, riprap, sustentation, subvention, floor, supporter, aid, prop, stand, anvil, fulciment, cue rest, jigger, monkey, stay, shore, skid, rib, truss, bandage, sleeper, stirrup, stilts, shoe, sole, heel, splint, lap, bar, rod, boom, sprit, outrigger, ratlings, staff, stick, crutch, alpenstock, baton, staddle, bourdon, cowlstaff, lathi, mahlstick, post, pillar, shaft, thill, column, pilaster, pediment, pedicle, pedestal, plinth, shank, leg, socle, zocle, buttress, jamb, mullion, abutment, baluster, banister, stanchion, balustrade, headstone, upright, door post, jamb, door jamb, frame, framework, scaffold, skeleton, beam, rafter, girder, lintel, joist, travis, trave, corner stone, summer, transom, rung, round, step, sill, angle rafter, hip rafter, cantilever, modillion, crown post, king post, vertebra, columella, backbone, keystone, axle, axletree, axis, arch, mainstay, trunnion, pivot, rowlock, peg, tiebeam, thole pin, board, ledge, shelf, hob, bracket, trevet, trivet, arbor, rack, mantel, mantle piece, mantleshelf, slab, console, counter, dresser, flange, corbel, table, trestle, shoulder, perch, horse, easel, desk, clotheshorse, hatrack, retable, teapoy, seat, throne, dais, divan, musnud, chair, bench, form, stool, sofa, settee, stall, arm chair, easy chair, elbow chair, rocking chair, couch, fauteuil, woolsack, ottoman, settle, squab, bench, aparejo, faldstool, horn, long chair, long sleeve chair, morris chair, lamba chauki, lamba kursi, saddle, pannel, pillion, side saddle, pack saddle, pommel, bed, berth, pallet, tester, crib, cot, hammock, shakedown, trucklebed, cradle, litter, stretcher, bedstead, four poster, French bed, bunk, kip, palang, bedding, bichhona, mattress, paillasse, pillow, bolster, mat, rug, cushion, footstool, hassock, tabouret, tripod, monopod, Atlas, Persides, Atlantes, Caryatides, Hercules, supporting, supported, fundamental, dorsigerous, astride on, straddle.

Also see definition of "stool" in Bible Study Dictionaries

For further exploring for "stool" in Webster Dictionary Online