Dictionary

unsteady en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ʌnˈstɛdi/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From un- + steady. Like steady, the word first appeared in English around 1530. The word is comparable to Old Frisian onstedich, Low German unstadig, etc.

Meanings

1. Not held firmly in position; physically unstable.
   • "Mid-Lent, and the Enemy grins," remarked Selwyn as he started for church with Nina and the children. Austin, knee-deep in a dozen Sunday supplements, refused to stir; poor little Eileen was now convalescent from grippe, but still unsteady on her legs; her maid had taken the grippe, and now moaned all day:[…]" 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IV, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
   • A slightly unsteady item of furniture.
2. Lacking regularity or uniformity.
3. Inconstant in purpose, or volatile in behavior.

Forms

Antonyms

steady

Deriveds

unsteadiness · unsteadily

Hypernyms

disorderly

Relateds

temporarily · ephemeral · transience

Synonyms

fluid · rickety · erratic · instable · variable · chaotic (lacking regularity or uniformity) · precarious (not held or fixed securely and likely to fall over) · unstable · random · rocky · shaky · varying · unsteady · irregular

Translations (49)

pt volúvel (lacking regularity) · pt instável (not held in position) · mi koritaka (not held in position) · hi अस्थिर (not held in position) · de unstet (inconstant in purpose or volatile in behavior) · fi epävakaa (lacking regularity) · ga neamhshocair (not held in position) · ru ша́ткий (not held in position) · pt instável (lacking regularity) · pt inconstante (inconstant in purpose or volatile in behavior) · mi pariko (not held in position) · hi अनियमित (inconstant in purpose or volatile in behavior) · ga anacair (lacking regularity) · ru неусто́йчивый (not held in position) · ga luaineach (inconstant in purpose or volatile in behavior) · ang slipor (not held in position) · hi अस्थिर (inconstant in purpose or volatile in behavior) · fa لق (not held in position) · grc ἀστάθμητος (not held in position) · ja グラグラ (not held in position) · hi अनियमित (lacking regularity) · bg несигурен (inconstant in purpose or volatile in behavior) · fi epävakaa (inconstant in purpose or volatile in behavior) · fi epäsäännöllinen (lacking regularity) · grc ἀσταθής (not held in position) · mi tīmangamanga (not held in position) · mi tūretireti (not held in position) · mi tīkoki (not held in position) · bg непостоянен (lacking regularity) · la instabilis (not held in position) · dag baŋabaŋa (not held in position) · ru переме́нчивый (inconstant in purpose or volatile in behavior) · mi tatutatu (not held in position) · ru неусто́йчивый (lacking regularity) · fa شل (not held in position) · sv ostadig (not held in position) · bg неусто́йчив (not held in position) · ru неусто́йчивый (inconstant in purpose or volatile in behavior) · mi tīmangamanga (lacking regularity) · ja ふらふら (not held in position) · mi tikoki (not held in position) · sv ostadig (lacking regularity) · ru зы́бкий (not held in position) · mi pārikoriko (not held in position) · hi ढीला (not held in position) · pt volátil (inconstant in purpose or volatile in behavior) · enm unstedefast (inconstant in purpose or volatile in behavior) · fi epävakaa (not held in position) · ru непостоя́нный (inconstant in purpose or volatile in behavior)

unsteady en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ʌnˈstɛdi/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From un- + steady. Like steady, the word first appeared in English around 1530. The word is comparable to Old Frisian onstedich, Low German unstadig, etc.

Meanings

1. To render unsteady, removing balance.

Forms