Stilted

/ˈstɪltɪd/ · adjective

Meaning

Making use of or possessing a stilt or stilts, or things resembling stilts; raised on stilts..

Definitions by Sense

1. Making use of or possessing a stilt or stilts, or things resembling stilts; raised on stilts.
2. (figuratively) Elevated or raised in a contrived or unnatural way; stiff and artificially formal or pompous; also, depending on redundant, unnecessary elements.
3. (architecture) Of a building or architectural feature such as an arch or vault: supported by stilts (“supporting pillars or posts”); also (generally) having the main part raised above the usual level by some structure.
4. simple past and past participle of stilt

Example Sentences

And laugh at this fantaſtic Mummery, / This antic Prelude of groteſque Events, / Where Dwarfs are often ſtilted, and betray / A Littleneſs of ſoul by Worlds o'er-run, / And Nations laid in blood.

The state of husbandry is very far behind. The plough generally used is the single stilted one. In using this kind of plough, the ploughman bends towards the soil, and well merits the title of curvus arator, bestowed by Virgil on the Italian ploughman. [...] The two-stilted plough is beginning to be used; but the general opinion is against it.

The crane and fowls of a like kind, seem to hold a middle place between land and water fowls, as they have separate toes like land fowls, but the bills and legs of the aquatic orders. [...] From the length of their legs they are called grallic, or stilted.

As for her brother, they being now arrived where the rude and antique instruments of Zetland agriculture lay scattered in the usual confusion of a Scottish barn-yard, his thoughts were at once engrossed in the deficiencies of the one-stilted plough—of the twiscar, with which they dig peats—of the sledges, on which they transport commodities—of all and every thing, in short, in which the usages of the islands differed from that of the main land of Scotland.

[W]e have still more striking instances in the large clouded-wing crane fly (Tipula gigantea, Meigen), popularly termed father longlegs, or jenny-spinner, their stilted legs enabling these insects to overtop the grass as they walk in the meadows, in the same way as our imaginary giraffe would overtop the trees in a forest.

We were much more annoyed by our enemies within doors—the fleas, which, in spite of our stilted bedsteads, obtruded upon us, and were so ardent and active that sleep was hopeless in such society.

[W]hether locomotion was possible or not, the animal remained a good half-minute at rest in this stilted attitude without venturing a step. [...] When put on their feet in the water (instead of out of the water on a table) these crayfish had not such a strikingly stilted attitude, and did not as a rule attempt to walk, but began either feeding or preening movements, or falling over a little to one side set up the rhythmic swing instead.

[H]alf dazzled, a man, a soldier / Standing beside the stilted water tank, the Spanish girl / Peeking at him from the doorway.

Synonyms for stilted

Antonyms for stilted

Related Words

Word Forms

• more stilted
• most stilted

Usage Notes

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