stonewalln.
/ˌstəʊnˈwɔːl/, U.S. /ˌstoʊnˈwɔl/, /ˌstoʊnˈwɑl/ (in sense 3)Brit. /ˈstəʊnwɔːl/, U.S. /ˈstoʊnˌwɔl/, /ˈstoʊnˌwɑl/, Australian English /ˈstoʊnwɔːl/ 1. Usually (from Middle English onwards) as two words. A wall built of stone; sometimes spec. = drystone wall at drystone adj. 1. Also as a mass noun: walls of stone collectively.
ΘΠ
the world > space > relative position > closed or shut condition > that which or one who closes or shuts > a barrier > [noun] > wall > stone wall
stonewallc825
boulder-walls1728
flint-wall1728
rock wall1755
rock fence1838
stone fence1844
the world > space > relative position > closed or shut condition > that which or one who closes or shuts > a barrier > [noun] > wall > stone wall > stone wall without mortar
stonewallc825
OE Old Eng. Martyrol. (Julius) 25 Mar. (2013) 74 Þa byfode seo eorðe, ond stanas burstan, ond stanweallas tofeollan.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 7908 Nulle hit nauere God..þat þi castel stonde..ne nauere þi stan wal stille ne ligge.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1965) Song of Sol. ii. 14 My culuer: in þe holis of þe ston in þe chyne of a ston wal, shew þou to me þi face.
a1475 Sir Gawain & Carl Carlisle (1951) l. 397 (MED) He ȝafe þe ston wall seche a rappe That þe goode sper all tobrake, The fyer flewe out of þe flente.
1545 R. Ascham Toxophilus ii. f. 9 Take hede yt youre bowe stande not to nere a stone wall, for that wyll make hym moyste and weke.
1621 in Trans. Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archæol. Soc. (1903) 3 155 That all the Tennants..make their dike..with Stonewall Five foote high with Cape and Coble.
a1661 R. Bargrave Trav. Diary (1999) 142 The Toune is guarded with a Competent Stone Wall, with Turretts on it.
1766 T. Pennant Brit. Zool. ii. 102 Hills, especially those that are fenced with stone walls.
1816 Encycl. Londinensis XIV. 64/1 One or more walks about two yards wide intersect each vineyard, and are included by stone walls two feet high.
1877 S. Livermore Hist. Block Island 21 More than three hundred miles of stone-wall now constitute the fences of Block Island.
1908 E. Fowler Between Trent & Ancholme 21 A low stone wall and coping.
2009 Lancaster (Pa.) New Era (Nexis) 11 June a7 They built a stone wall, brick paths and a flagstone patio.
2.
a. Used as an epithet for a person who doggedly resists opposition, or who systematically employs obstructive or defensive tactics. Chiefly with capital initial.Originally applied to Thomas Jonathan (‘Stonewall’) Jackson (1824–63), Confederate general during the American Civil War. The application appears to owe its origin to the words reported (as in quot. 18611) as having been used by General Barnard E. Bee (1824–61) to refer to a brigade formed and trained by Jackson (which became known as the Stonewall Brigade) at the First Battle of Bull Run.
ΘΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > [noun] > one who or that which hinders > a hindrance, impediment, or obstacle > person > persistent
obstructionist1846
stonewall1862
1861 Charleston (S. Carolina) Mercury 25 July Gen Bee immediately rallied the remnant of his brigade, and his last words to them were: ‘There is Jackson standing like a stone-wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer. Follow me!’
1861 Richmond (Va.) Enquirer 13 Aug. The brigade commanded by Gen. Thomas J. Jackson..is known now and to be known hereafter as the ‘Stone Wall Brigade’.]
1861 Daily Dispatch (Richmond, Va.) 26 Oct. Gen. Jackson, familiarly known as ‘Stone Wall Jackson’.
1863 Leeds Times 20 June 8/5 Surrey has made a fearful example of Sussex in one innings, to which ‘Stonewall’ Mortlock furnished 106, and Mr. E. Dowson, 87.
1902 E. B. V. Christian in Ld. Alverstone & C. W. Alcock Surrey Cricket iii. 82 The eleven..received very valuable additions in Tom Humphrey and Jupp, or ‘young Stonewall’, the ‘old Stonewall’ being Mortlock, who still played.
1974 Kingsport (Tennessee) Times 3 Dec. 5 b/1 Will Richard Nixon go down in history as Stonewall Nixon?
2008 J. Quinn Goodnight Ballivor xxiii. 114 In 1949, ‘Stonewall Dixon’ brought further honours to the village when he helped Meath win their first All-Ireland Senior Football title.
b. A person of proverbial doggedness, courage, endurance in defence, etc. Now rare.In some instances perhaps a figurative use of sense 1 rather than an allusion to ‘Stonewall’ Jackson.
Π
1864 Southern Reporter (Selkirk) 4 Aug. 2/7 These two players raised the score considerably, and bringing on several changes of bowling, Mr. Balgarnie proved himself a regular ‘stonewall’.
1889 United Service Jan. 8 General David McM. Gregg..was well dubbed ‘Old Reliable’. He proved himself to be the Stonewall of our cavalry corps.
1894 N.Y. Times 22 June 6/6 He lost just five games in six sets, and seemed a veritable stonewall at the net.
1907 Alpha Tau Omega Palm Sept. 255 He was indeed a veritable ‘Stonewall’ where truth and honor and firmness in the right and allegiance to Alpha Tau Omega were concerned.
1939 Irish Times 18 Sept. 8 All through the game the Sligo goalkeeper was a positive stonewall, and he made several spectacular clearances.
3.
a. Originally in Australian and New Zealand Politics: the obstruction of parliamentary business by lengthy speeches, evasive answers, etc.; an instance of this; (occasionally) a group of people who obstruct parliamentary business in this way. Later more generally: an act of obstructing or blocking the progress of something. Cf. stonewall v. 1, 3.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > procedure of parliament or national assembly > [noun] > obstruction of business
filibusterism1854
filibustering1856
block1861
stonewall1876
obstruction1879
obstructionism1879
1875 Kyneton (Victoria) Observer 11 Nov. We are determined to stand like a stone wall in the way, and say that this Parliament will not go on until we have it said by the people whether it shall be this policy or that policy which shall govern the country.]
1875 Gippsland (Victoria) Times 16 Nov. We much mistake if the ‘stone wall’ supposed to be provided by the forms of the House will afford much protection.
1886 Evening Post (Wellington, N.Z.) 23 July Four hours were devoted to a determined stonewall of Mr. M'Millan's Dog Registration Act Amendment Bill..Mr. O'Conor was leader of the obstructionists.
1919 C. A. Bernays Queensland Politics during Sixty Years 159 When his party banded together to resist some Government proposal, and set up a stonewall, Higg's stonewalling was inimitable.
1978 Associated Press Newswire (Nexis) 27 Apr. It was like in the old White House days. He didn't want to say anything and he didn't. It was a gentle, most patient stonewall.
1993 Albuquerque (New Mexico) Jrnl. 31 Mar. b6/2 After a 12-year stonewall, Gloria finally has decided to go back.
2007 Times (Nexis) 23 Nov. 6 We were going for a budget revision but we realised this was not going to happen. It was a stonewall.
2019 N.Y. Times (Nexis) 17 June a11 His blanket assertion of executive privilege..strengthened the hands of Democrats who say the president's stonewall of the House's oversight function is, itself, impeachable.
b. Cricket. Very defensive and cautious batting; an instance of this. Cf. earlier Compounds 2.
Π
1907 Manch. Courier 15 Mar. (Morning Express ed.) 6/4 Truly it is a case of ‘better half a day of Jessop than a season of stone-wall’.
1929 Stratford (N.Z.) Evening Post 18 June Mitchell's innings was a prolonged stonewall. He batted for six hours, scoring eighty.
2019 Canberra Times (Nexis) 20 Aug. [He] claimed Smith's place in the XI had played a key role in Australia's successful stonewall, facing more balls than any of his teammates.
Compounds
C1. General use as a modifier (in later use chiefly in sense 3).
Π
1730 Acts & Laws Colony of Rhode-Island 140 (margin) What Stone-Wall Fence shall be accounted Lawful.
1828 Sporting Mag. Feb. 291/2 The distance from the place of finding to the point where the hounds threw up being nine miles, in thirty-two minutes, over a stone wall country.
1864 Glasgow Herald 23 Feb. 2/3 They may be relied upon for stonewall firmness, I believe, for unshaken fortitude under the direst trials.
1890 Catholic News 20 Sept. 7/3 It displayed..the usual stone-wall stupidity.
1912 Daily Mail 23 Oct. 8/3 When the Prime Minister took up this ‘stonewall’ attitude on the subject of the extension of Home Rule to other parts of the United Kingdom, Captain Pirie..exploded with wrath.
1969 Time 20 June 84/2 Halberstam generates a momentum that carries the reader headlong into the stone-wall shock of the book's last sentence.
2001 Independent on Sunday 1 Apr. (Business section) 2/1 These players have launched their own lobbying campaign, which is being timed to coincide with the stonewall tactics of the Pentagon.
C2. Cricket. As a modifier. Designating a very defensive and cautious approach to batting in which the batter makes only limited attempts to score runs; relating to or characterized by such an approach. Cf. stonewall v. 2.
ΘΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > batting > [adjective] > types of batting
cross-batted1577
steady1826
poking1836
free1851
wrist shot1851
fast-footed1853
wristy1867
stonewall1880
forcing1888
poky1888
firm-footed1907
back foot1936
1869 Western Mail 15 July 4/5 Maxwell was caught by Captain Water, and Donague, the ‘stonewall bat’, was sent in.
1879 Tour of Austral. Eleven & Conway's Austral. Cricketers' Ann. 1877-8 54 MacKinnin, H.: Bats with great patience and has a stonewall defence.
1892 Derby Mercury 6 July 7/3 He had been at the wickets two hours and forty minutes for his 35, having played a ‘stonewall’ game.
1911 Aberdeen Jrnl. 20 Dec. 10/1 During his stay at the wicket of three hours and three minutes the outgoing batsman put up a stonewall defence.
2012 @TestingTimesXI 3 Aug. in twitter.com (accessed 10 June 2022) The thought of another three Tests after this of death by stonewall batting makes me queasy.
2017 Daily Examiner (Grafton, New S. Wales) (Nexis) 22 Nov. 22 The 16-year-old took a stonewall approach as he batted out the innings to save the outright loss by one wicket.
C3.
a. colloquial. As a modifier. Designating something that is absolutely certain, guaranteed, or unarguable. Chiefly Scottish and Irish English in later use.
Π
1895 Western Spirit (Paola, Kansas) 23 Aug. Sixteen firms have already signed the strikers' schedule, and..over 1,000 hands have returned to work in them at increased wages. These are some of the stone-wall facts against which the howling protectionist dervishes are constantly butting their pates.
1906 Illustr. Sporting & Dramatic News 19 May 415/2 Hearts is undoubtedly the safer make on this hand, because it gives a stonewall certainty of two by cards.
1922 H. Owen Unpopular Opinions 31 They are now prepared to respect the stone-wall fact that Russia has now become an organised Soviet State.
1965 W. Lothian Courier 5 Feb. 12/2 It would seem that a stonewall case has been made for demolishing the old grimy, congested and dilapidated town centre..and starting afresh on the higher ground of Douglas Park.
1994 J. Kelman How Late it Was 212 The one thing that was a stonewall cast-iron certainty was that they knew what they were doing.
2017 Mayo News 31 Oct. 23/2 In courts in Mayo we've seen what initially appeared stonewall cases of guilt turned on its head by skilful barristers.
b. Association Football (originally Scottish). As a modifier. Designating an unambiguous or obvious foul (esp. one committed in the penalty box), or a penalty that results or seems to be guaranteed to result from this; of or relating to such a foul or penalty.
ΘΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > football > association football > [adjective] > type of shot
raking1929
indirect1938
sidefoot1945
side-footed1955
1985 Evening Express (Aberdeen) 27 Feb. 14/3 The Scots were denied a stone-wall penalty late in the game when Black was pulled down by the uncompromising Salinas.
2003 Sun (London) (Electronic ed.) 19 Aug. 59 To my mind it was a stonewall foul, and a YELLOW card.
2007 Sunday Mirror (Nexis) 14 Jan. 64 It was a definite penalty. From where I was it was a stonewall decision.
2017 A. Carragher Lost? vi. 350 The referee hadn't awarded two stonewall penalties—the gross unfairness of that must have rankled.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2022).
stonewallv.
/ˈstəʊnwɔːl/, U.S. /ˈstoʊnˌwɔl/, /ˈstoʊnˌwɑl/, Australian English /ˈstoʊnwɔːl/ 1. intransitive. Politics (originally Australian). To obstruct parliamentary business by lengthy speeches, evasive answers, etc.; to practise obstruction, refuse to give clear answers. Also transitive: to use such tactics against (parliamentary business, a legislative proposal, etc.).
ΘΠ
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > procedure of parliament or national assembly > [verb (intransitive)] > obstruct business
filibuster1853
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > procedure of parliament or national assembly > [verb (transitive)] > obstruct (business)
to talk out1873
block1884
to speak out1893
1876 Argus (Melbourne) 13 Jan. 6/2 He saw no difference between stone-walling a private bill and stone-walling a Government proposition.
1879 Argus (Melbourne) 24 Oct. 5/2 Soon after 10 o'clock Mr. Bent commenced to stonewall, and the proceedings at this stage were broadly farcical.
1916 Contemp. Rev. Nov. 576 Obstruction did not merely consist in stonewalling Government business.
1999 High Country News 12 Apr. 4/4 The commission..has made it harder for our elected officials to deny and ignore the issue, but it's also made them stonewall.
2015 Telegraph (India) (Nexis) 25 Aug. The Congress, which stonewalled the bill in the Rajya Sabha, indicated it would support the bill only if the Centre accepted its demands for changes.
2. intransitive. Cricket. To bat very defensively and cautiously by persistently blocking balls and making only limited attempts to score runs. Also transitive: to subject (a bowler, team, etc.) to tactics of this kind.
ΘΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > batting > bat [verb (intransitive)] > types of batting
to play back1816
to step in1837
to play forward1851
to run out1858
slog1869
hang one's bat out to dry1895
to force the game1897
to farm the strike1901
to sit on (or upon) the splice1906
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > batting > bat [verb (transitive)] > types of batting
guard1744
collar1859
quilt1866
paste1894
to farm the strike1901
1876 Hamilton (Victoria) Spectator 23 Feb. The Casterton side who first went to the wickets.., and stonewalled their bowling to such an extent that 80 runs were scored before their partnership was dissolved.
1883 Manch. Courier 20 Jan. 3/3 Barlow was as wary as ever, ‘stonewalling’ in his customary fashion and greatly annoying the bowlers.
1898 Played On Penny Pop. Novels No. 127 xi. 34 A brother professional..began to stone-wall in a distracting manner. ‘Take care of your wicket and let the runs take care of themselves,’ was his motto.
1915 Spectator 30 Oct. 568/2 If ‘W.G.’ had not been himself, he would have stonewalled him..but ‘W.G.’ was incapable of killing the game by the arid arts of the stonewaller.
1935 Courier & Advertiser (Dundee) 19 Aug. 4/4 The longer the day lasted the more they stonewalled.
2008 L. Booth Cricket, Lovely Cricket? 35 The less talented team can stonewall for three hours and emerge with a share of the spoils.
3. transitive and intransitive. More generally: to obstruct or refuse to answer (a person, etc.); to block (an enquiry, request, initiative, etc.); to counter or thwart by means of evasion or obstruction.
ΘΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > hinder [verb (transitive)] > persistently
stonewall1899
1899 Belfast News-let. 22 June 3/4 Pillsbury at an early stage sought to establish a preponderance of forces on the Queen's wing, but Showalter stonewalled him, and the only result of Pillsbury's efforts was the loss of a pawn.
1912 Daily Mail (Hull) 30 Aug. Are British firms stonewalled by some hideous system?
1963 J. R. R. Tolkien Let. 1 Nov. (1995) 336 I was stonewalled and hindered in my efforts..for the good of my subject and the reform of its teaching, by vested interests in fees and fellowships.
1990 Independent on Sunday 18 Feb. 19/7 Floundering managements used to react to disasters by stone-walling or by trying to shift the blame.
1996 Advocate 12 Nov. 61/1 She has also stonewalled queries about her love life. ‘It's amazing to me that everyone thinks I have a responsibility to divulge my personal life.’
2013 T. Thorn Bedsit Disco Queen 255 We completely stonewalled him and were humourless and earnest.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2022).
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n.OE
v.1876