steady

[ sted-ee ]
See synonyms for steady on Thesaurus.com
adjective,stead·i·er, stead·i·est.
  1. firmly placed or fixed; stable in position or equilibrium: a steady ladder.

  2. even or regular in movement: the steady swing of the pendulum.

  1. free from change, variation, or interruption; uniform; continuous: a steady diet of meat and potatoes;a steady wind.

  2. constant, regular, or habitual: a steady job.

  3. free from excitement or agitation; calm: steady nerves.

  4. unfaltering; firm: a steady gaze;a steady hand.

  5. steadfast or unwavering; resolute: a steady purpose.

  6. settled, staid, or sober, as a person, habits, etc.

  7. Nautical. (of a vessel) keeping nearly upright, as in a heavy sea.

interjection
  1. (used to urge someone to calm down or be under control.)

  2. Nautical. (a helm order to keep a vessel steady on its present heading.)

noun,plural stead·ies.
  1. Informal. a person whom one dates exclusively; sweetheart.

  2. Informal. a steady visitor, customer, or the like; habitué.

verb (used with object),stead·ied, stead·y·ing.
  1. to make or keep steady, as in position, movement, action, character, etc.: His calm confidence steadied the nervous passengers.

verb (used without object),stead·ied, stead·y·ing.
  1. to become steady.

adverb
  1. in a firm or steady manner: Hold the ladder steady.

  2. Informal. steadily, regularly, or continuously: Is she working steady now?

Idioms about steady

  1. go steady, Informal. to date one person exclusively: Her father didn't approve of her going steady at such an early age.

Origin of steady

1
First recorded in 1520–30; 1905–10 for def. 12; stead + -y1

synonym study For steady

7. See steadfast.

Other words for steady

1 firm
3 undeviating, unchanging, unvarying, invariable
See synonyms for steady on Thesaurus.com

Other words from steady

  • stead·i·ly, adverb
  • stead·i·ness, noun
  • o·ver·stead·i·ness, noun
  • o·ver·stead·y, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use steady in a sentence

  • In the now steadier light Catherine saw that the large missal lay open at the Office for the Dead.

    Studies in love and in terror | Marie Belloc Lowndes

British Dictionary definitions for steady

steady

/ (ˈstɛdɪ) /


adjectivesteadier or steadiest
  1. not able to be moved or disturbed easily; stable

  2. free from fluctuation: the level stayed steady

  1. not easily excited; imperturbable

  2. staid; sober

  3. regular; habitual: a steady drinker

  4. continuous: a steady flow

  5. nautical (of a vessel) keeping upright, as in heavy seas

verbsteadies, steadying or steadied
  1. to make or become steady

adverb
  1. in a steady manner

  2. go steady informal to date one person regularly

nounplural steadies
  1. informal one's regular boyfriend or girlfriend

interjection
  1. nautical an order to the helmsman to stay on a steady course

  2. a warning to keep calm, be careful, etc

  1. British a command to get set to start, as in a race: ready, steady, go!

Origin of steady

1
C16: from stead + -y 1; related to Old High German stātīg, Middle Dutch stēdig

Derived forms of steady

  • steadier, noun
  • steadily, adverb
  • steadiness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with steady

steady

In addition to the idiom beginning with steady

  • steady as a rock

also see:

  • go steady
  • slow but sure (steady wins the race)

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.