"to be sparing or frugal," 1722, earlier "to limit, restrain" (1510s), "cause to cease, put an end to" (mid-14c.), "cease, desist" (intransitive), c.1200, from Old English styntan "to blunt, make dull," probably originally "make short," from Proto-Germanic *stuntijanan (cognates: Old Norse stuttr "short, scant," Middle High German stunz "blunt, short," German stutzen "to cut short, curtail, stop, hesitate"), from PIE root *(s)teu- (1) "to push, stick, knock, beat" (see steep, adj.). The English word perhaps was influenced by its Scandinavian cognates. Sense of "be careful in expenditure" is from 1848. Related: Stinted; stinting. The noun is attested from c.1300.