steady en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈstɪdi/ (US, dated, nonstandard, possibly, regional)
- stĭdʹi (US, dated, nonstandard, possibly, regional)
- stŭdʹi (US, dated, nonstandard, possibly, regional)
- /ˈstɛdi/
- stĕdʹi
- /ˈstʌdi/ (US, dated, nonstandard, possibly, regional)
Etymology
From Middle English stedy, studi, stidiȝ, perhaps continuing Old English stæþþiġ, ġestæþþiġ (“steadfast, stable, firm, staid”), equivalent to stead + -y; or calquing Middle Low German or Middle Dutch stēdig. Cognate with Saterland Frisian stoadig (“steady”), West Frisian stadich (“slow”), Danish stedig, stadig, steeg, Swedish stadig, Icelandic stöðugur, German stätig, stetig. Compare also Old English ġestedegian (“to bring to a standstill”) and Dutch steeds (“more and more”). Adjective sense 8 is a semantic loan from Singapore Hokkien 在 (chāi, “confident, skilled”, literally “steady”).
Meanings
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Firm in standing or position; not tottering or shaking; fixed; firm.
But then I had the flintlock by me for protection. ¶ There were giants in the days when that gun was made; for surely no modern mortal could have held that mass of metal steady to his shoulder. The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window,[…].
1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:When I went to Harrow, thirty years ago, I found a winter evening game in force there, called 'high cockalorum,' […] The players used to divide into two opposing bands of from twelve to fourteen each – in fact, the more the merrier. One side 'went down,' so as to constitute a long 'hogsback' – the last boy having a couple of pillows between himself and the wall, and each boy clasping his front rank man, and carefully tucking his own 'cocoa-nut' [i.e., head] under his right arm, so as to prevent fracture of the vertebrae. When the hogsback was thus formed, the other side came on, leapfrogging on to the backs of those who were down, the best and the steadiest jumpers being sent first. […]
1890 January 4, Pall Mall Gazette, London: J. K. Sharpe, →OCLC, page 2, column 1:Captain Edward Carlisle, soldier as he was, martinet as he was, felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, her alluring smile ; he could not tell what this prisoner might do.
1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:Their feet steady, their hands diligent, their eyes watchful, and their hearts resolute.
a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:Hold the ladder steady while I go up.
Jenny also used a much more advanced form of wave generation: instead of using a bow string, he was able to create cymatoscopes using piezoelectric generators that could be regulated electronically and could produce steadier wave displacements than any of Jenny’s predecessors.
2010, Stephen D. Lewis, Seeing Sound: Hans Jenny and the Cymatic Atlas, page 17:
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Constant in feeling, purpose, or pursuit; not fickle, changeable, or wavering; not easily moved or persuaded to alter a purpose; resolute.
a man steady in his principles, in his purpose, or in the pursuit of an object
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Smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions.
a steady ride
-
Phlegmatic, calm; not easily upset, excited, or disturbed.
Thy ſteddy Temper, Portius, Can look on Guilt, Rebellion, Fraud, and Cæſar, In the calm Lights of mild Philoſophy; I’m tortured, ev’n to Madneſs, when I think On the proud Victor: […]
1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 1:a steady tone of voice
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Regular and even.
The rebuilding of damaged stations is proceeding slowly, on account of the shortage of building materials and the pressing needs of housing, but steady progress is being made.
1951 March, E. J. Tyler, “Post-War Recovery on the Netherlands Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 157:the steady course of the Sun; a steady breeze of wind
During programmed changes, no steady green signal indication or flashing yellow signal indication shall be terminated and immediately followed by a steady red or flashing red signal indication without first displaying the steady yellow signal […]
2003, Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices: Inserts Only, page 10:
- Slow.
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(dated, informal) With whom one is going steady.
I have been trying to remember what other porn movies I've seen. I know that I should be able to recall many a title as, When I was eighteen, my steady girlfriend and I would go to drive-in theatres and half-watch them all the time.
1979 August 25, Pat M. Kuras, “Post Card Sex”, in Gay Community News, volume 7, number 6, page 12:
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(Singapore, Singlish, predicative) Confident and cool-headed under pressure; competent; reliable, adept.
You get it right too many times. Your viewers must think you're damn solid, right? Get so many right on TV, steady lah, ang moh, they say, right? Fame gone to your head, is it?
2010, Neil Humphreys, chapter 10, in Match Fixer, Marshall Cavendish International, →ISBN, page 112:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| stedy | alternative | lexicographic | |
| steadier | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| steddy | alternative | lexicographic | |
| steadiest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
unsteady (antonym(s) of)
Deriveds
slow and steady wins the race · oversteady · steadyish · rocksteady · rock steady · steady hand at the tiller · rock-steady · Steady Eddie · steady-going · steady as she goes · steadily · steady-handed · steady-as-she-goes · nonsteady · steady state theory · steady pom pi pi · steady-state · ready, steady, go · steady as a rock · land of steady habits · steady hand on the tiller · non-quasi-steady · steady on · steady state · steady stater · Steadicam · steady Eddie · go steady · steadiness
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
flat · immutable · Change: · monotone · monotonic · Of sound: · changeless · Other: · repetitive · level
Synonyms
untottering (firm) · dogged (constant in purpose or action) · stately · fluid (smooth, not bumpy) · robust (firm) · monotonous · solid · steady · ponderous · unvarying · constant (regular and even) · even · steady pom pi pi · uniform · glacial (slow) · equal · samely · even-keeled · unvaried · solid (firm) · equable · level (firm) · staunch · sure (firm) · unyielding · stable · regular · even-tempered · uncheckered · consistent
Translations (72)
de stetig (regular and even) · tr sabit (firm) · mi rōnaki (constant in purpose or action) · enm stedefast (constant in purpose or action) · gd seasmhach (regular and even) · az müntəzəm (constant in purpose or action) · it regolare (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · it fermo (firm) · it regolare (constant in purpose or action) · ru усто́йчивый (regular and even) · hi अचला (firm) · mi māhoi (regular and even) · bg неотклонен (constant in purpose or action) · ur ثابت (firm) · it sicuro (firm) · cs klidný (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · fr régulier (regular and even) · it uniforme (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · bg равномерен (regular and even) · mi pāmārō (regular and even) · enm stedefast (firm) · nl gestaag (slow) · pdt stendich (firm) · it stabile (regular and even) · ro fixat (firm) · fr lisse (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · pdt bestendich (constant in purpose or action) · mi māhoi (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · hi दृढ़ (firm) · ro ferm (constant in purpose or action) · it fidato (firm) · bg постоянен (constant in purpose or action) · ja 安定した (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · bg устойчив (firm) · sa धीर (firm) · sv stadig (firm) · mi pāmārō (constant in purpose or action) · ug مۇقىم (regular and even) · it costante (constant in purpose or action) · gd cunbhalach (regular and even) · th มั่นคง (firm) · grc βέβαιος (firm) · ar ثابت (firm) · bg стабилен (firm) · bg равномерен (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · oc regular (regular and even) · ru усто́йчивый (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · cmn 穩定 /稳定 (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · uk ста́лий (regular and even) · pt estável (firm) · ca ferm (firm) · de stetig (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · la stabilis (firm) · fi vakaa (regular and even) · pt regular (regular and even) · cs plynulý (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · nan-hbl 在 (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · it saldo (firm) · enm stith (firm) · hi अटल (firm) · oc fèrm (constant in purpose or action) · bg равен (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · hi नियमित (constant in purpose or action) · ja 着実 (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · fi vakaa (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · mi whena (firm) · mi mārō (constant in purpose or action) · mi rōnaki (regular and even) · pdt stendich (smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions) · hi अविचल (firm) · hi तटस्थ (firm) · fi vakaa (slow)