stilt Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a column of wood or steel or concrete that is driven into the ground to provide support for a structure
pile; spile; piling.
noun one of two stout poles with foot rests in the middle; used for walking high above the ground
- he was so tall I thought he was on stilts
noun long-legged three-toed wading bird of brackish marshes of Australia
Australian stilt.
noun long-legged three-toed black-and-white wading bird of inland ponds and marshes or brackish lagoons
longlegs; stiltbird; long-legs; stilt plover; Himantopus stilt.

OE. stilte; akin to Dan. stylte, Sw. stylta, LG. & D. stelt, OHG. stelza, G. stelze, and perh. to E. stout.

A pole, or piece of wood, constructed with a step or loop to raise the foot above the ground in walking. It is sometimes lashed to the leg, and sometimes prolonged upward so as to be steadied by the hand or arm.
Ambition is but avarice on stilts, and masked. Landor.
A crutch; also, the handle of a plow. Prov. Eng. Halliwell.
(Zoöl.) Any species of limicoline birds belonging to Himantopus and allied genera, in which the legs are remarkably long and slender. Called also longshanks, stiltbird, stilt plover, and lawyer. ✍ The American species (Himantopus Mexicanus) is well known. The European and Asiatic stilt (H. candidus) is usually white, except the wings and interscapulars, which are greenish black. The white-headed stilt (H. leucocephalus) and the banded stilt (Cladorhynchus pectoralis) are found in Australia.

imperfect & past participle Stilted ; present participle & verbal noun Stilting