stochen

Attested since the 16th century. In the 15th already the derivative Stogker (“stoker”). This gk-spelling as well the late attestations suggest an adapted borrowing from Middle Low German stōken, from Proto-West Germanic *stokōn, whence Dutch stoken, English stoke. However, Central Franconian dialects show descendants of this which appear to be native (compare Luxembourgish stachen), so it is also possible that the verb was inherited in northern Central German through Middle High German *stochen and later reinforced by Low German. The simplex did not establish itself in written German, but the frequentative stochern (“to poke”) did.

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃtɔxən/

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stochen (weak, third-person singular present stocht, past tense stochte, past participle gestocht, auxiliary haben)

1. (rare or regional) to stoke, stir (fire)

   Synonyms: anfachen, schüren

   • 1941, “Lehm”, in Josef Müller, editor, Rheinisches Wörterbuch‎, Bonn, containing the gerund Feuerstochen n from das Feuer stochen, italics in original:

     Früher verwandte man im Rip[uarischen], Nfrk [Niederfränkischen] (noch in Aach[en], SNfrk [Südniederfränkisch]) zum Feuerstochen dat Gedecks, das aus Kohlenstaub (Gris) u. Lehm, mit Wasser angemengt, besteht.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

• Stocher
• stochern