in the stead of

in the stead of

1. (chiefly formal or literary) Alternative form of in one's stead / instead of.
   • 1662, I[ohn] C[otgrave], “On One Master Kitchen”, in Wits Interpreter, the English Parnassus. Or, A Sure Guide to Those Admirable Accomplishments That Compleat Our English Gentry, in the Most Acceptable Qualifications of Discourse or Writing. […], 2nd edition, London: […] N[athaniel] Brook, […], →OCLC, page 302:

     Here lies one, in flower of youth, / Once his friend’s joy, now his parents ruth: / If Kitchen be his name, as I have found, / Then Death now keeps his kitchen under ground; / And hungry worms that late of fleſh did eat, / Devour their Kitchen in the ſtead of meat.

   • 1676, [Matthew Hale], “Of the Knowledge of Christ Crucified”, in Contemplations Moral and Divine. […], London: […] William Godbid, for William Shrowsbury […], and John Leigh […], →OCLC, page 229:

     Bleſſed Lord [Jesus], they crucifie thee for all thy good vvorks: if thou hadſt been guilty, poſſibly thou mighteſt have been ſpared in the stead of Barabbas; […]

   • 1765, [Laurence Sterne], chapter XXXIV, in The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, volume VIII, London: […] T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, […], →OCLC, pages 153–154:

     As for thy drink—I need not tell thee, it muſt be the infuſion of Vervain, and the herb Hanea, of which Ælian relates ſuch effects—but if thy ſtomach palls with it—diſcontinue it from time to time, taking cucumbers, melons, purſlane, water-lillies, woodbine, and lettice, in the ſtead of them.

   • 2002 April 6, Immanuel David Isaiah [pseudonym; Brian David Mitchell], The Book of Immanuel David Isaiah, page 3:

     So it is now. One who is mighty and strong I have ordained in the stead of him who was ordained of God.