stable¹ Definition
sta·ble (stā′bəl)
adjective -·bler, -·blest
- not easily moved or thrown off balance; firm; steady
- not likely to break down, fall apart, or give way; fixed
- firm in character, purpose, or resolution; steadfast
- reliable, dependable
- not likely to change or be affected adversely; lasting; enduring
- emotionally steady; composed; self-possessed
- mentally sound; sane; rational
- capable of returning to equilibrium or original position after having been displaced
- Chem., Physics
- not readily decomposing or changing from one state of matter to another
- not undergoing spontaneous change
- Nuclear Physics incapable of radioactive decay
Etymology: ME < OFr estable < L stabilis < stare, to stand
stable¹ Related Forms
stable² Definition
sta·ble (stā′bəl)
noun
- a building in which horses or cattle are sheltered and fed
- a group of animals kept or belonging in such a building
- all the racehorses belonging to one owner
- the people employed to take care of and train such a group of racehorses
- Informal all the athletes, writers, performers, etc. under one management, with one agent, etc.
Etymology: ME < OFr estable < L stabulum < stare, to stand
transitive verb, intransitive verb -·bled, -·bling
to lodge, keep, or be kept in or as in a stable
stable Synonyms
stable
modif.
stable Synonyms
stable Synonyms
stable Usage Examples
Object
horse: Note: There are horses stabled opposite the cottage.
Converse of object
ride: There are several riding stables nearby, all speak English.
Adjective modifier
- converted: The cookery school is housed in the ground floor of the converted Georgian stables, which overlook the castle.. .
- livery: There are 20 horses in livery stables on the estate.
- former: This beautifully restored grade II listed former stables has been recently renovated to a very high standard.
Modifies a noun
- isotope: Stable isotopes are naturally occurring and are used as a marker for what is happening inside the body.
- angina: Design: Protocol guided management of patients with stable angina.
- block: The grand stable block was designed by William Legg.
- yard: It has an archway wide enough for coaches to pass through into the picturesque medieval stable yard.
- door: Pretty garden with stable door to rear of property.
- platform: The pontoon thus firmly founded, the dredging gear would work from a stable platform.
Used with adjective complement
- remain: Now patients with HIV can remain stable for many years.
- appear: I don't recall many problems with the Microsoft DHCP Server during these years, so this piece of Microsoft software appears reasonably stable.
- stay: That, we propose, is why the Protestant isolation indices stayed so stable between 1911 and 1981, while the Catholic indices rose.
- seem: Navigator also seems much more stable under Windows than Linux.
Noun used with modifier
riding: Program 10 Alice visits an extraordinary riding stables located under one of London's busiest roads.
Modifying Another Word
- relatively: Tuberculosis in Scotland has been relatively stable over the past 20 years.
- financially: Money net pension searches Nick Gardiner is financially stable at 26.
Preposition: in
siding: DMUs were ( and still are ) stabled in the sidings at Bangor between turns.
Preposition: for
horse: Outside were two well built concrete and brick pig sties and a stable for horses and carriages.
Browse dictionary entries near stable
- ‹ stabilizer
- ‹ stabilize
- ‹ Stability and Growth Pact
- ‹ stability
- ‹ stabile
- ‹ Stabat Mater
- ‹ stab in the back
- ‹ stab
- ‹ Staël
- ‹ Sta
- stable value fund ›
- stableboy ›
- stableman ›
- stablemate ›
- stabling ›
- stablish ›
- staccato ›
- stack ›
- Stack frame ›
- Stack Smashing ›

