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stale
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As an adjective, stale means no longer fresh, in reference to food, urine, straw, wounds, etc. As a noun, it means something stale.
Meanings of stale
41 meaningsadjective
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.
in generalNot new or recent; having been in place or in effect for some time.
legalUnreasonably long in coming, in reference to claims and actions.
“a stale affidavit”
“a stale demand”
Worn out, particularly due to age or over-exertion, in reference to athletes and animals in competition.
financeOut of date, unpaid for an unreasonable amount of time, particularly in reference to checks.
computingOf data: out of date; not synchronized with the newest copy.
“The bug was found to be caused by stale data in the cache.”
Lacking freshness, palatability, or showing deterioration from age
“stale bread”
“the beer was stale”
Lacking originality or spontaneity; no longer new
“moth-eaten theories about race”
“stale news”
Similar: cold, dusty, moth-eaten
Older and rare meanings (4)
alcoholobsoleteClear, free of dregs and lees; old and strong.
obsoleteNo longer nubile or suitable for marriage, in reference to people; past one's prime.
agricultureobsoleteFallow, in reference to land.
chessobsoleteAt a standstill; stalemated.
noun
colloquialSomething stale; a loaf of bread or the like that is no longer fresh.
A long, thin handle (of rakes, axes, etc.)
dialectalOne of the posts or uprights of a ladder.
One of the rungs on a ladder.
The shaft of an arrow, spear, etc.
chessuncommonA stalemate; a stalemated game.
Older and rare meanings (13)
botanyobsoleteThe stem of a plant.
militaryobsoleteA fixed position, particularly a soldier's in a battle-line.
militaryobsoleteAn ambush.
obsoleteA band of armed men or hunters.
ScotlandmilitaryobsoleteThe main force of an army.
livestockobsoleteUrine, especially used of horses and cattle.
falconryhuntingobsoleteA live bird to lure birds of prey or others of its kind into a trap.
obsoleteAny lure, particularly in reference to people used as live bait.
crimeobsoleteAn accomplice of a thief or criminal acting as bait.
obsoleteA partner whose beloved abandons or torments him in favor of another.
obsoleteA patsy, a pawn, someone used under some false pretext to forward another's (usu. sinister) designs; a stalking horse.
crimeobsoleteA prostitute of the lowest sort; any wanton woman.
verb
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.
alcoholTo become stale; to grow unpleasant from age.
chessuncommonTo stalemate.
Older and rare meanings (5)
of alcoholobsoleteTo make stale; to age in order to clear and strengthen (a drink, especially beer).
obsoleteTo make a ladder by joining rungs ("stales") between the posts.
chessobsoleteTo be stalemated.
livestockobsoleteTo urinate, especially used of horses and cattle.
rareobsoleteTo serve as a decoy, to lure.
Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).