state
the condition of a person or thing, as with respect to circumstances or attributes: a state of health.
the condition of matter with respect to structure, form, constitution, phase, or the like: water in a gaseous state.
status, rank, or position in life; station: He dresses in a manner befitting his state.
the style of living befitting a person of wealth and high rank: to travel in state.
a particular condition of mind or feeling: to be in an excited state.
an abnormally tense, nervous, or perturbed condition: He's been in a state since hearing about his brother's death.
a politically unified people occupying a definite territory; nation.
the territory, or one of the territories, of a government.
Sometimes State . any of the bodies politic which together make up a federal union, as in the United States of America.
the body politic as organized for civil rule and government (distinguished from church).
the operations or activities of a central civil government: affairs of state.
State. Also called State Department .Informal. the Department of State.
Printing. a set of copies of an edition of a publication which differ from others of the same printing because of additions, corrections, or transpositions made during printing or at any time before publication.
the States, Informal. the United States (usually used outside its borders): After a year's study in Spain, he returned to the States.
of or relating to the central civil government or authority.
made, maintained, or chartered by or under the authority of one of the commonwealths that make up a federal union: a state highway;a state bank.
characterized by, attended with, or involving ceremony: a state dinner.
used on or reserved for occasions of ceremony.
to declare definitely or specifically: She stated her position on the case.
to set forth formally in speech or writing: to state a hypothesis.
to set forth in proper or definite form: to state a problem.
to say.
to fix or settle, as by authority.
Idioms about state
lie in state, (of a corpse) to be exhibited publicly with honors before burial: The president's body lay in state for two days.
state of mind. See entry at state of mind.
Origin of state
1synonym study For state
word story For state
The e in estat is called a prothetic e ( prothetikós means “prefixed” in Greek). The prothetic e appears in the Romance languages of France (French, Provençal), and the Iberian Peninsula (Castilian, Portuguese, Catalan), and in Logudorese (the most conservative dialect of the Sardinian language). For example, Latin schola “school” appears as école in French (from earlier escole ), escòla in Provençal, escuela in Castilian, escola in Portuguese and Catalan, and iscola in Logudorese. The prothetic e was never common in Italy except to avoid ungainly consonant clusters; thus Italian la scuola “the school” becomes per iscuola “for school.” Prothesis persists in modern Spanish, Portuguese, and Catalan: “station” is estación, estação, and estació, respectively, but it is no longer productive in French (“station” is station ) or Italian ( stazione ). Prothesis has never been common in Romanian (“school” is şcoală ).
Other words for state
Other words from state
- stat·a·ble, state·a·ble, adjective
- an·ti·state, adjective
- coun·ter·state, verb, coun·ter·stat·ed, coun·ter·stat·ing.
- out·state, verb (used with object), out·stat·ed, out·stat·ing.
- sub·state, noun
- un·stat·a·ble, adjective
- un·state·a·ble, adjective
Words Nearby state
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use state in a sentence
Halfway there, however, we passed two of the largest waterfalls in the state.
A day’s drive from Chicago, exploring a very different Illinois | Carson Vaughan | February 12, 2021 | Washington PostDue to the chemicals and the state the hair has been in, it will initially be damaged, but she will have hair.
Tessica Brown’s Plastic Surgeon Reveals The Gorilla Glue Removal Details | cmurray | February 12, 2021 | Essence.comDetails were kept secret by 50-a, a state law that has barred the public from seeing police discipline records.
ProPublica’s “NYPD Files” Wins John Jay College/Harry Frank Guggenheim Award for Excellence in Criminal Justice Reporting | by ProPublica | February 11, 2021 | ProPublicaThat’s why Abdur-Rahim pushed the G League, which typically functions like the NBA’s minor leagues, to offer financial, personal and professional incentives to keep elite high school players in the states.
An NBA experiment lets draft prospects skip college, stay home and get paid to play | Michael Lee | February 11, 2021 | Washington PostSimon operates more than 200 properties in 38 states, all of which had to shutter operations in late March due to the pandemic.
America’s largest mall operator is especially optimistic about Florida | Karen Ho | February 10, 2021 | Quartz
Dental leaders barnstormed the state, and cities began to fluoridate.
But on Thursday Boxer triggered a Golden state political earthquake, announcing that she would not seek a fifth term in 2016.
The Golden State Preps for the ‘Red Wedding’ of Senate Races | David Freedlander | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTMeanwhile, in Florida, Bush was flooded with questions about whether gay marriage could possibly come to the Sunshine state.
This week, Florida became the 36th state to allow same-sex marriage.
But if you have a hearing and you prove that someone is mature enough, well then that state interest evaporates.
If we can free this state of Yankees, we will accomplish more than your armies down south have.
The Courier of the Ozarks | Byron A. DunnWalls End Castle, when the party broke up, returned to its normal state.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3) | Charles James WillsThe next morning he came rushing into the office, in a violent state of excitement.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun; | VariousHe could not tell what I meant by secrets of state, where an enemy or some rival nation were not in the case.
Gulliver's Travels | Jonathan SwiftFrom the very first of the war their work was to help exterminate the guerrilla bands which infested the state.
The Courier of the Ozarks | Byron A. Dunn
British Dictionary definitions for state
/ (steɪt) /
the condition of a person, thing, etc, with regard to main attributes
the structure, form, or constitution of something: a solid state
any mode of existence
position in life or society; estate
ceremonious style, as befitting wealth or dignity: to live in state
a sovereign political power or community
the territory occupied by such a community
the sphere of power in such a community: affairs of state
(often capital) one of a number of areas or communities having their own governments and forming a federation under a sovereign government, as in the US
(often capital) the body politic of a particular sovereign power, esp as contrasted with a rival authority such as the Church
obsolete a class or order; estate
informal a nervous, upset, or excited condition (esp in the phrase in a state)
lie in state (of a body) to be placed on public view before burial
state of affairs a situation; present circumstances or condition
state of play the current situation
controlled or financed by a state: state university
of, relating to, or concerning the State: State trial
involving ceremony or concerned with a ceremonious occasion: state visit
to articulate in words; utter
to declare formally or publicly: to state one's innocence
to resolve
Origin of state
1Derived forms of state
- statable or stateable, adjective
- statehood, 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 state
In addition to the idiom beginning with state
- state of the art
also see:
- in a lather (state)
- in state
- ship of state
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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