I. ˈstikəl adjective
Etymology: Middle English stikell, from Old English sticol; akin to Old Saxon stekul stony, rough, OH stehhal steep, Old English stician to stick — more at stick
1. dialect England : steep
2. dialect England : moving rapidly
a mile of water … bright with stickle runs — R.D.Blackmore
II. noun
( -s )
1. dialect chiefly Britain : a rapid in a small stream
the little runs and stickles — John Buchan
2. chiefly Britain : a line of persons placed across a shallow in a stream to prevent passage of an otter into water where it cannot be hunted
III. intransitive verb
( stickled ; stickled ; stickling -k(ə)liŋ ; stickles )
Etymology: Middle English stightlen, stiglen, freq. of stighten to arrange, place, from Old English stihtan, stihtian to rule, arrange, order; akin to Old Norse stētta to support, establish, stētt pavement, stepping-stone, degree, rank, stīga to climb — more at stair
1. obsolete : to separate combatants by intervening : act as umpire or mediator
2. obsolete : to participate actively
3. : to contend or hold out especially pertinaciously and usually on finical or insufficient grounds
4. : to feel hesitation or scruples : scruple
Synonyms: see demur
IV. noun
( -s )
: agitation , perturbation : bewilderment , perplexity