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.
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Origin:
1575–85; v. use of dial. stunt dwarfed, stubborn (Middle English; Old English: stupid); cognate with Middle High German stunz, Old Norse stuttr short; akin to stint1

Related forms
stunt·ing·ly, adverb
stunt·y, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged

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, especially so as to increase ratings.
verb (used with object)
5.
to use in doing stunts: to stunt an airplane.
Origin:
1890–95, Americanism; origin uncertain

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To stunt
Collins
World English Dictionary
stunt1 (stʌnt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—vb
1.  (tr) to prevent or impede the growth or development of (a plant, animal, etc)
 
—n
2.  the act or an instance of stunting
3.  a person, animal, or plant that has been stunted
 
[C17 (as vb: to check the growth of): perhaps from C15 stont of short duration, from Old English stunt simple, foolish; sense probably influenced by Old Norse stuttr short in stature, dwarfed]
 
'stunted1
 
—adj
 
'stuntedness1
 
—n

stunt2 (stʌnt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n
1.  an acrobatic, dangerous, or spectacular action
2.  an acrobatic or dangerous piece of action in a film or television programme
3.  anything spectacular or unusual done to gain publicity
 
—vb
4.  (intr) to perform a stunt or stunts
 
[C19: US student slang, of unknown origin]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

stunt
"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
"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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Word has it she'll outdo even her meat get-up with a stunt involving a giant
  egg.
Viewers can usually tell the difference between a star and a stunt double.
My reasoning is that this guy put a lot of effort into designing this thing and
  testing its components before the stunt.
Some specialists create digital characters that can be used in place of an
  actor, such as when a stunt or scene is too dangerous.
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