Where Does the Phrase Stymied Come from?

Stymie was first used on the golf course in Scotland, where it referred to an opponent's ball blocking your own ball's path to the cup. From there a verb sense developed, until finally stymie came to mean blocking with any obstacle, not just a golf ball.

What does stymied in court mean?

Stymie appears to have been first used as a noun, referring to the practice of blocking an opponent's ball.

What does Stimed mean?

Definition of STIMED:

STIME, to peer (to look narrowly or searchingly) [v]

James H. Sterling

James H. Sterling

Environmental Science & Climate Journalist

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.