steady
/ˈstɪdi/ adjective, verb, particle, noun, adverb, interjection
Forms steadier steadiest steadies steadying steadied steddy stedy
- adjective Firm in standing or position; not tottering or shaking; fixed; firm. “Hold the ladder steady while I go up.”
- adjective 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”
- adjective Smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions. “a steady ride”
- adjective Phlegmatic, calm; not easily upset, excited, or disturbed. “a steady tone of voice”
- adjective Regular and even. “the steady course of the Sun; a steady breeze of wind”
- adjective Slow.
- adjective (informal, dated) With whom one is going steady.
- adjective (Singapore, Singlish, predicative) Confident and cool-headed under pressure; competent; reliable, adept.
- verb (transitive, sometimes figurative) To stabilize; to prevent from shaking. “I took a drink to steady my nerves.”
- verb (intransitive) To become stable.
- particle (African-American Vernacular) Aspect marker indicating consistency or intensity. “Why you steady cappin'?”
- noun A rest or support, as for the hand, a tool, or a piece of work.
- noun (informal) A regular boyfriend or girlfriend; somebody to go steady with.
- noun (informal) A prostitute's regular customer.
- adverb (rowing, informal) To row with pressure at a low stroke-rating, often 18 strokes per minute. “After the sprint pieces, we rowed steady for the rest of practice.”
- interjection (Singlish) Alright!, way to go!, nice!
Synonyms
robust solid untottering level sure dogged fluid even-tempered constant glacial steady pom pi pi staunch unyielding uniform unvarying ponderous stately consistent equable equal sweetheart sweetie truelove calm becalm brace stabilize stabilise firm unfluctuating
Antonyms
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”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Firm in standing or position; not tottering or shaking; fixed; firm. "The softest, steadiest plume." Keble.
- adjective Constant in feeling, purpose, or pursuit; not fickle, changeable, or wavering; not easily moved or persuaded to alter a purpose; resolute; as, a man steady in his principles, in his purpose, or in the pursuit of an object.
- verb To make steady; to hold or keep from shaking, reeling, or falling; to make or keep firm; to support; to make constant, regular, or resolute.
- verb To become steady; to regain a steady position or state; to move steadily.
Etymology [Cf. AS. stedig sterile, barren, stæ, steady (in gestæ), D. stedig, stadig, steeg, G. stätig, stetig. See Stead, n.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “steady”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details