stunt definition | Dictionary.com

stunt

1 [stuhnt]

–verb (used with object)

1.	to stop, slow down, or hinder the growth or development of; dwarf: A harsh climate stunted the trees. Brutal treatment in childhood stunted his personality.

–noun

2.	a stop or hindrance in growth or development.

3.	arrested development.

4.	a plant or animal hindered from attaining its proper growth.

5.	Plant Pathology. a disease of plants, characterized by a dwarfing or stunting of the plant.

Origin:
1575–85; v. use of dial. stunt dwarfed, stubborn (ME; OE: stupid); c. MHG stunz, ON stuttr short; akin to stint ¹

Related forms:

stunt⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

stunty, adjective

stunt

2 [stuhnt]

–noun

1.	a performance displaying a person's skill or dexterity, as in athletics; feat: an acrobatic stunt.

2.	any remarkable feat performed chiefly to attract attention: The kidnapping was said to be a publicity stunt.

–verb (used without object)

3.	to do a stunt or stunts.

4.	Television Slang. to add specials, miniseries, etc., to a schedule of programs, esp. so as to increase ratings.

–verb (used with object)

5.	to use in doing stunts: to stunt an airplane.

Origin:
1890–95, Americanism; orig. uncert.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To stunt

stunt¹ (stŭnt)

tr.v. stunt·ed, stunt·ing, stunts
To check the growth or development of.
n.

One that stunts.
One that is stunted.
A plant disease that causes dwarfing.

[From Middle English stunnt, foolish, short-witted, short (influenced by Old Norse stuttr, short, dwarfish), from Old English stunt.]
stunt'ed·ness n.

stunt² (stŭnt)

A feat displaying unusual strength, skill, or daring.
Something done to attract attention or publicity.

intr.v. stunt·ed, stunt·ing, stunts
To perform stunts or a stunt.

[Origin unknown.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Stunt

Stunt\, n. [Cf. Stint a task.] A feat hard to perform; an act which is striking for the skill, strength, or the like, required to do it; a feat. [Colloq.]

An extraordinary man does three or four different "stunts" with remarkable dexterity. --The Bookman.

He does not try to do stunts; and, above all, he does not care to go in swimming. --L. Hutton.

Stunt

Stunt\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stunted; p. pr. & vb. n. Stunting.] [See Stint.] To hinder from growing to the natural size; to prevent the growth of; to stint, to dwarf; as, to stunt a child; to stunt a plant.

When, by a cold penury, I blast the abilities of a nation, and stunt the growth of its active energies, the ill or may do is beyond all calculation. --Burke.

Stunt

Stunt\, n. 1. A check in growth; also, that which has been checked in growth; a stunted animal or thing.

2. Specifically: A whale two years old, which, having been weaned, is lean, and yields but little blubber.

Language Translation for : stunt

Spanish: atrofiar; impedir el desarrollo,

German: hemmen,

Japanese: 妨げる

More Translations »

stunt (v.)

"check in growth, dwarf," 1659, verb use of M.E. adj. stunnt "foolish," from O.E. stunt "short-witted, foolish" (cf. stuntspræc "foolish talk"), from P.Gmc. *stuntaz (cf. O.N. stuttr "short"), from the root of stump.

stunt (n.)

"feat to attract attention," 1878, Amer.Eng. college sports slang, of uncertain origin. Speculated to be a variant of colloq. stump "dare, challenge" (1871), or of Ger. stunde, lit. "hour." The movie stunt man is attested from 1930.

Main Entry: stunt
Pronunciation: 'st&nt
Function: transitive verb
: to hinder the normal growth, development, or progress of stunted child>

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