Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Firm in position or place; fixed.
  • adjective Direct and unfaltering; sure.
  • adjective Free or almost free from change, variation, or fluctuation; uniform.
  • adjective Not easily excited or upset.
  • adjective Unwavering, as in purpose; steadfast.
  • adjective Reliable; dependable.
  • adjective Temperate; sober.
  • transitive & intransitive verb To make or become steady.
  • interjection Used to direct a helmsman to keep a ship's head in the same direction.
  • noun The person whom one dates regularly, usually exclusively.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A young man who is the ‘steady company’ of a young woman; also, the young woman in the same relation to the young man.
  • Firmly fixed in place or position; unmoved.
  • Firm or unfaltering in action; resolute: as, a steady stroke; a steady purpose.
  • In this sense much used elliptically in command, for‘keep’ or’ hold steady’: Nautical, an order to the helmsman to keep the ship straight on her course.
  • In hunting, an order to a dog to be wary and careful.
  • Free from irregularity or unevenness, or from tendency to irregular motion; regular; constant; undeviating; uniform: as, steady motion; a steady light; a steady course; a steady breeze; a steady gait.
  • Constant in mind, purpose, or pursuit; not fickle, changeable, or wavering; not easily moved or persuaded to relinquish a purpose: as, to be steady in the pursuit of an object; steady conduct.
  • Hence Sober; industrious; persevering: as, a steady workman.
  • noun In machinery, some device for steadying or holding a piece of work.
  • noun In stone-cutting, a support for blocking up a stone to be dressed, cut, or broken.
  • noun Same as stadda.
  • To make steady; hold or keep from shaking, staggering, swaying, reeling, or falling; support; make or keep firm: as, to steady the hand.
  • Hence To make regular and persevering in character and conduct: as, trouble and disappointment had steadied him.
  • To become steady; regain or maintain an upright or stable position or condition; move steadily.
  • noun A dialectal form of stithy.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive 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.
  • intransitive verb To become steady; to regain a steady position or state; to move steadily.
  • adjective Firm in standing or position; not tottering or shaking; fixed; firm.
  • adjective Constant in feeling, purpose, or pursuit; not fickle, changeable, or wavering; not easily moved or persuaded to alter a purpose; resolute.
  • adjective Regular; constant; undeviating; uniform
  • adjective (Mach) a rest in a turning lathe, to keep a long piece of work from trembling.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions
  • adjective regular and even
  • adjective slow
  • verb To stabilize something; to prevent from shaking.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
  • adverb in a steady manner
  • adjective not easily excited or upset
  • adjective not liable to fluctuate or especially to fall
  • adjective not subject to change or variation especially in behavior
  • adjective relating to a person who does something regularly
  • verb make steady
  • verb support or hold steady and make steadfast, with or as if with a brace
  • adjective securely in position; not shaky
  • noun a person loved by another person

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English stede, stedi, from Old English staeththig, from staeth ("stead, bank"). Confer Danish stedig, stadig, steeg, German stätig, stetig.

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Examples

  • But on average though, I do think I can use the term steady growth for Texas, because I do see fairly healthy loan growth in Texas relative to other regions in the U.S.

    unknown title 2011

  • But on average though, I do think I can use the term steady growth for Texas, because I do see fairly healthy loan growth in Texas relative to other regions in the U.S.

    unknown title 2011

  • But on average though, I do think I can use the term steady growth for Texas, because I do see fairly healthy loan growth in Texas relative to other regions in the U.S.

    unknown title 2011

  • He defended what he called steady progress in the war.

    CNN Transcript Dec 6, 2005 2005

  • Yes, stressing the positive -- yes, stressing what he called steady advances on the battlefield.

    CNN Transcript Mar 30, 2003 2003

  • One test that he and Stemer put the Intercontinental through today was what he called a "steady heading side slip."

    CNET News.com 2011

  • Maddison said the HMCS Chicoutimi will finally reach what he calls a "steady state" by 2013, when a third sub comes out of maintenance and can function as a "swing boat" to be moved where needed.

    The Globe and Mail - Home RSS feed STEVEN CHASE 2011

  • But Mr. Oestreich found himself more focused on the man seated directly behind him, who was connected to an oxygen cart or similar medical device that emitted what he called a steady - and apparently disruptive - ticking sound.

    NYT > Home Page By ANAHAD O'CONNOR 2011

  • Sooner than marry what you call a steady, sober man, I'd run away with a captain of

    The Poacher Joseph Rushbrook Frederick Marryat 1820

  • He lamented what he described as a steady diet of ...

    Megite Technology News: What's Happening Right Now 2010

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  • Citation on kooch show.

    June 30, 2012