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Origin and history of stoop

stoop(v.)

Middle English stoupen, "bend forward and downward," especially of persons "lower the body by bending forward," from Old English stupian "to bow, bend," from Proto-Germanic *stupojanan (source also of Middle Dutch stupen "to bow, bend," Norwegian stupa "fall, drop"), perhaps from PIE *(s)teu- (1) "to push, stick, knock, beat" (see steep (adj.)), but there are objections.

Of posture or the shoulders, "have a habitual forward or downward slope from the upright line of the body," c. 1300. The figurative sense of "condescend," especially expressing a lowering of the moral self, is from 1570s. The literal sense of "swoop" is recorded by 1570s in falconry. Related: Stooped; stooping.

Stoop-shouldered "having a habitual slope in the shoulders and back" is attested from 1773.

stoop(n.1)

"raised open platform before the entrance of a house, approached by steps" 1755, American and Canadian, from Dutch stoep "flight of steps, doorstep, threshold," from Middle Dutch, from Proto-Germanic *stap- "step" (see step (v.)).

This, unlike most of the words received [in American English] from the Dutch, has extended, in consequence of the uniform style of building that prevails throughout the country, beyond the bounds of New York State, as far as the backwoods of Canada. [Bartlett]

Properly neither a veranda nor a porch. Also in South African English as stoep (1797), hence stoep-sitter "habitually idle person, one who sits all day on his own stoep."

also from 1755

stoop(n.2)

c. 1300, "act of stooping or bending down," from stoop (v.). As "a descent from superiority or dignity," by 1630s.

also from c. 1300

Entries linking to stoop

porch(n.)

c. 1300, porche, "covered entrance; roofed structure, usually open on the front and sides, before an entrance to a building," from Old French porche "porch, vestibule," from Latin porticus "covered gallery, covered walk between columns, arcade, portico, porch," from porta "city gate, gate; door, entrance" (from PIE root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over").

The Latin word was borrowed directly into Old English as portic. Especially (late 14c.) "a covered walk or colonnade on the front or side of a building." In U.S., used by 1832 for what the British call a veranda.

steep(adj.)

"precipitous, sheer, having a sharp slope," of cliffs, mountains, etc., Middle English stēpe, from Old English steap "high, lofty" (senses now obsolete), also "deep; prominent, projecting," from Proto-Germanic *staupa- (source also of Old Frisian stap "high, lofty," Middle High German *stouf).

This is held to be from PIE *steup-, an extended form of the root *(s)teu- (1) "to push, stick, knock, beat," with derivations referring to projecting objects (source also of Greek typtein "to strike," typos "a blow, mold, die;" Sanskrit tup- "harm," tundate "pushes, stabs;" Gothic stautan "push;" Old Norse stuttr "short"). But Boutkan is dubious of the wider grouping.

The sense of "precipitous" probably was in Old English. In Middle English also of strong men, loud voices, large bright eyes, and old age. The slang sense of "at a high price" is a U.S. coinage attested by 1848, perhaps 1847. Related: Steeply. The noun meaning "a steep place, a declivity" is from 1550s.

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