Sta"tion (?), n. [F., fr. L.
statio, from stare, statum, to stand. See
Stand.] 1. The act of standing; also,
attitude or pose in standing; posture. [R.]
A station like the herald, Mercury.
Shak.
Their manner was to stand at prayer, whereupon their
meetings unto that purpose . . . had the names of stations
given them.
Hooker.
2. A state of standing or rest;
equilibrium. [Obs.]
All progression is performed by drawing on or impelling
forward some part which was before in station, or at
quiet.
Sir T. Browne.
3. The spot or place where anything stands,
especially where a person or thing habitually stands, or is appointed
to remain for a time; as, the station of a sentinel.
Specifically: (a) A regular stopping place in a
stage road or route; a place where railroad trains regularly come to a
stand, for the convenience of passengers, taking in fuel, moving
freight, etc. (b) The headquarters of the
police force of any precinct. (c) The place
at which an instrument is planted, or observations are made, as in
surveying. (d) (Biol.) The
particular place, or kind of situation, in which a species naturally
occurs; a habitat. (e) (Naut.) A
place to which ships may resort, and where they may anchor
safely. (f) A place or region to which a
government ship or fleet is assigned for duty.
(g) (Mil.) A place calculated for the
rendezvous of troops, or for the distribution of them; also, a spot
well adapted for offensive measures. Wilhelm (Mil.
Dict.). (h) (Mining) An
enlargement in a shaft or galley, used as a landing, or passing place,
or for the accomodation of a pump, tank, etc.
4. Post assigned; office; the part or
department of public duty which a person is appointed to perform;
sphere of duty or occupation; employment.
By spending this day [Sunday] in religious exercises,
we acquire new strength and resolution to perform God's will in our
several stations the week following.
R.
Nelson.
5. Situation; position; location.
The fig and date -- why love they to remain
In middle station, and an even plain?
Prior.
6. State; rank; condition of life; social
status.
The greater part have kept, I see,
Their station.
Milton.
They in France of the best rank and
station.
Shak.
7. (Eccl.) (a) The fast
of the fourth and sixth days of the week, Wednesday and Friday, in
memory of the council which condemned Christ, and of his
passion. (b) (R. C. Ch.) A church in
which the procession of the clergy halts on stated days to say stated
prayers. Addis & Arnold. (c) One of
the places at which ecclesiastical processions pause for the
performance of an act of devotion; formerly, the tomb of a martyr, or
some similarly consecrated spot; now, especially, one of those
representations of the successive stages of our Lord's passion which
are often placed round the naves of large churches and by the side of
the way leading to sacred edifices or shrines, and which are visited
in rotation, stated services being performed at each; -- called also
Station of the cross. Fairholt.
Station bill. (Naut.) Same as
Quarter bill, under Quarter. -- Station
house. (a) The house serving for the
headquarters of the police assigned to a certain district, and as a
place of temporary confinement. (b) The house
used as a shelter at a railway station. -- Station
master, one who has charge of a station, esp. of a
railway station. -- Station pointer
(Surv.), an instrument for locating on a chart the position
of a place from which the angles subtended by three distant objects,
whose positions are known, have been observed. -- Station
staff (Surv.), an instrument for taking angles in
surveying. Craig.
Syn. -- Station, Depot. In the United States,
a stopping place on a railway for passengers and freight is commonly
called a depot: but to a considerable extent in official use,
and in common speech, the more appropriate name, station, has
been adopted.
Sta"tion (?), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Stationed (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Stationing.] To place; to set; to appoint or assign to the
occupation of a post, place, or office; as, to station troops
on the right of an army; to station a sentinel on a rampart; to
station ships on the coasts of Africa.
He gained the brow of the hill, where the English
phalanx was stationed.
Lyttelton.
Sta"tion, n. In Australia, a sheep
run or cattle run, together with the buildings belonging to it; also,
the homestead and buildings belonging to such a run.
Sta"tion (?), n. [F., fr. L.
statio, from stare, statum, to stand. See
Stand.] 1. The act of standing; also,
attitude or pose in standing; posture. [R.]
A station like the herald, Mercury.
Shak.
Their manner was to stand at prayer, whereupon their
meetings unto that purpose . . . had the names of stations
given them.
Hooker.
2. A state of standing or rest;
equilibrium. [Obs.]
All progression is performed by drawing on or impelling
forward some part which was before in station, or at
quiet.
Sir T. Browne.
3. The spot or place where anything stands,
especially where a person or thing habitually stands, or is appointed
to remain for a time; as, the station of a sentinel.
Specifically: (a) A regular stopping place in a
stage road or route; a place where railroad trains regularly come to a
stand, for the convenience of passengers, taking in fuel, moving
freight, etc. (b) The headquarters of the
police force of any precinct. (c) The place
at which an instrument is planted, or observations are made, as in
surveying. (d) (Biol.) The
particular place, or kind of situation, in which a species naturally
occurs; a habitat. (e) (Naut.) A
place to which ships may resort, and where they may anchor
safely. (f) A place or region to which a
government ship or fleet is assigned for duty.
(g) (Mil.) A place calculated for the
rendezvous of troops, or for the distribution of them; also, a spot
well adapted for offensive measures. Wilhelm (Mil.
Dict.). (h) (Mining) An
enlargement in a shaft or galley, used as a landing, or passing place,
or for the accomodation of a pump, tank, etc.
4. Post assigned; office; the part or
department of public duty which a person is appointed to perform;
sphere of duty or occupation; employment.
By spending this day [Sunday] in religious exercises,
we acquire new strength and resolution to perform God's will in our
several stations the week following.
R.
Nelson.
5. Situation; position; location.
The fig and date -- why love they to remain
In middle station, and an even plain?
Prior.
6. State; rank; condition of life; social
status.
The greater part have kept, I see,
Their station.
Milton.
They in France of the best rank and
station.
Shak.
7. (Eccl.) (a) The fast
of the fourth and sixth days of the week, Wednesday and Friday, in
memory of the council which condemned Christ, and of his
passion. (b) (R. C. Ch.) A church in
which the procession of the clergy halts on stated days to say stated
prayers. Addis & Arnold. (c) One of
the places at which ecclesiastical processions pause for the
performance of an act of devotion; formerly, the tomb of a martyr, or
some similarly consecrated spot; now, especially, one of those
representations of the successive stages of our Lord's passion which
are often placed round the naves of large churches and by the side of
the way leading to sacred edifices or shrines, and which are visited
in rotation, stated services being performed at each; -- called also
Station of the cross. Fairholt.
Station bill. (Naut.) Same as
Quarter bill, under Quarter. -- Station
house. (a) The house serving for the
headquarters of the police assigned to a certain district, and as a
place of temporary confinement. (b) The house
used as a shelter at a railway station. -- Station
master, one who has charge of a station, esp. of a
railway station. -- Station pointer
(Surv.), an instrument for locating on a chart the position
of a place from which the angles subtended by three distant objects,
whose positions are known, have been observed. -- Station
staff (Surv.), an instrument for taking angles in
surveying. Craig.
Syn. -- Station, Depot. In the United States,
a stopping place on a railway for passengers and freight is commonly
called a depot: but to a considerable extent in official use,
and in common speech, the more appropriate name, station, has
been adopted.
Sta"tion (?), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Stationed (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Stationing.] To place; to set; to appoint or assign to the
occupation of a post, place, or office; as, to station troops
on the right of an army; to station a sentinel on a rampart; to
station ships on the coasts of Africa.
He gained the brow of the hill, where the English
phalanx was stationed.
Lyttelton.
Sta"tion, n. In Australia, a sheep
run or cattle run, together with the buildings belonging to it; also,
the homestead and buildings belonging to such a run.
