steady Hear it!

steady Definition

steady (sted′ē)

adjective stead′i·er, stead′i·est

  1. that does not shake, tremble, totter, etc.; firm; fixed; stable
  2. constant, regular, uniform, or continuous; not changing, wavering, or faltering a steady gaze, a steady diet, a steady rhythm
  3. not given to sudden changes in behavior, loyalty, disposition, etc.
  4. habitual or regular; by habit a steady customer
  5. not easily agitated, excited, or upset; calm and controlled steady nerves
  6. grave; sober; staid; reliable; not frivolous or dissipated
  7. keeping almost upright, as in a rough sea, or staying headed in the same direction: said of a ship

Etymology: stead + -y

  1. stay calm; control yourself
  2. keep the ship headed in the same direction

transitive verb, intransitive verb stead′·ied, stead′y·ing

to make or become steady

noun

☆ Informal a person whom one dates regularly and exclusively; sweetheart

adverb stead′i·er, stead′i·est

in a steady manner

steady Related Forms
stead′i·ly adverb stead′i·ness noun
steady Idioms

go steady

☆ Informal
  1. to date someone of the opposite sex regularly and exclusively
  2. to date each other regularly and exclusively
steady Synonyms

steady

modif.

  1. Showing little variation

    regular, even, uniform, unvarying, patterned, equable; see also consecutive 1, constant 1, regular 3.

  2. Calm and self-possessed

    cool, poised, steadfast; see calm 1, reserved 3.

steady implies a fixed regularity or constancy, esp. of movement, and an absence of deviation, fluctuation, faltering, etc. a steady breeze; even, often interchangeable with steady, emphasizes the absence of irregularity or inequality an even heartbeat; uniform implies a sameness or likeness of things, parts, events, etc. often as the result of conformity with a fixed standard a uniform wage rate; regular emphasizes the orderliness or symmetry resulting from evenness or uniformity regular features, attendance, etc.; equable implies an inherent evenness or regularity and may also suggest tranquility, serenity, or an absence of extremes an equable temper

go steady (with)*

keep company with, court, be courted, go with, go together; see also court 1, love 1.

steady Usage Examples

Object

  • innings: Marriott steadied the innings with some classy shots and his partnership with Egre restored some belief.
  • ship: Mike Mcgowan as ever steadied the ship with 22 and was unlucky to be out.
  • influence: A steadying influence who keep the rest of the country's feet on the ground.

Preposition: on

  • Mb: The wind was light SW'ly and pressure steady on 1015 mb.

Preposition: as

  • rock: May our faith be as steady as a rock.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • hold: Being able to hold the camera steadier can lead to better shots.
  • keep: A tame reading on consumer prices tomorrow may reinforce speculation the central bank will keep borrowing costs steady through the start of next year.

Modifies a noun

  • stream: The growth of the economy depends on a steady stream of people with bright ideas.
  • trickle: The steady trickle of deaths in football has led to mandatory screening for all junior recruits at Premier League clubs.
  • decline: Our once proud fishing fleet has been in steady decline over the years.
  • pace: I ran at a steady pace the whole way without walking at all.
  • flow: Golf courses tend to generate a steady flow of road traffic through the day.
  • progress: Alan was able to report on steady progress in dealing with the backlog of highways work.

Modifying Another Word

  • fairly: He was working up to Saturday noon, and was a fairly steady man.
  • relatively: I would be surprised if they radically altered the broad prospect of relatively steady progress over the next two years.
  • reasonably: For men, both graduates and the comparator group benefit from a reasonably steady pattern of earnings growth over their working lives.
  • pretty: Some prices will rise and some will fall, but overall - on average - prices will be pretty steady.

Used with adjective complement

  • remain: Selling prices of timber fire doors remained broadly steady with 57 % seeing no change.
  • hold: Ensure camera is held very steady on a sturdy tripod or similar.
  • stay: Until the decision, the dollar will stay fairly steady.
steady Quotes

I come from a state where gun control is just how steady you hold your weapon.

—Simpson, Alan (Kooi)

Mirth is short and transient, cheerfulness fixed and permanent† Mirth is like a flash of lightning that breaks through a gloom of clouds, and glitters for a moment: cheerfulness keeps up a kind of day-light in the mind, and fills it with a steady and perpetual serenity.

—Addison,Joseph

   A commonplace young man, A matter-of-fact young man, A steady and stolid-y, jolly Bank-Holiday Every-day young man!

—Gilbert, Sir W(illiam) S(chwenck)

Browse dictionary entries near steady

  1. ‹ steading
  2. ‹ steadily
  3. ‹ steadfast
  4. ‹ stead
  5. ‹ Ste
  6. ‹ STDM
  7. ‹ std
  8. ‹ stbd
  9. ‹ STB
  10. ‹ staysail
  1. steady-state ›
  2. steady-state theory ›
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  4. steak knife ›
  5. steak tartare ›
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  8. stealing ›
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