\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}.
Usage: 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.