still

[ stil ]

/ stɪl /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR still ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, still·er, still·est.

remaining in place or at rest; motionless; stationary: to stand still.

free from sound or noise, as a place or persons; silent: to keep still about a matter.

subdued or low in sound; hushed: a still, small voice.

free from turbulence or commotion; peaceful; tranquil; calm: the still air.

without waves or perceptible current; not flowing, as water.

not effervescent or sparkling, as wine.

Photography. noting, pertaining to, or used for making single photographs, as opposed to a motion picture.

noun

stillness or silence: the still of the night.

Photography. a single photographic print, as one of the frames of a motion-picture film.

adverb

at this or that time; as previously: Are you still here?

up to this or that time; as yet: A day before departure we were still lacking an itinerary.

in the future as in the past: Objections will still be made.

even; in addition; yet (used to emphasize a comparative): still more complaints; still greater riches.

even then; yet; nevertheless: to be rich and still crave more.

without sound or movement; quietly: Sit still!

at or to a greater distance or degree.

Archaic. steadily; constantly; always.

conjunction

and yet; but yet; nevertheless: It was futile, still they fought.

verb (used with object)

to silence or hush (sounds, voices, etc.).

to calm, appease, or allay: to still a craving.

to quiet, subdue, or cause to subside (waves, winds, commotion, tumult, passion, pain, etc.).

verb (used without object)

to become still or quiet.

Nearby words

stile, stiletto, stiletto heel, stilicho, stilicho, flavius, still, still alarm, still and all, still frame, still hunt, still layer

Idioms

still and all, nonetheless; even with everything considered: Even though you dislike us, still and all you should be polite.

Origin of still

before 900; (adj. and adv.) Middle English still(e), Old English stille; (noun) Middle English: a calm, derivative of the adj.; (v.) Middle English styllen, Old English stillan; (conjunction) derivative of the adv.; akin to German still (adj.), stille (adv.), stillen (v.), Dutch stil (adj. and adv.), stillen (v.); see stall¹

SYNONYMS FOR still

1 unmoving, inert, quiescent.

2 soundless, mute.

4 pacific, placid, serene.

8 quiet, hush, calm.

19 quiet, mute, stifle, muffle, smother.

20 soothe, pacify.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR still ON THESAURUS.COM

Synonym study

2. Still, quiet, hushed, noiseless, silent indicate the absence of noise and of excitement or activity accompanied by sound. Still indicates the absence of sound or movement: The house was still. Quiet implies relative freedom from noise, activity, or excitement: a quiet engine; a quiet vacation. Hushed implies the suppression of sound or noise: a hushed whisper. Noiseless and silent characterize that which does not reveal its presence or movement by any sound: a noiseless footstep; silent dissent. 18. See but¹.

Definition for still (2 of 3)

still

[ stil ]

/ stɪl /

noun

a distilling apparatus, consisting of a vessel in which a liquid is heated and vaporized and a cooling device or coil for condensing the vapor.

a distillery.

verb (used with or without object)

to distill.

Origin of still

1250–1300; (v.) Middle English stillen, aphetic variant of distillen to distill; (noun) derivative of the v.

Definition for still (3 of 3)

Still

[ stil ]

/ stɪl /

noun

Andrew Taylor,1828–1917, U.S. founder of osteopathy.

William Grant,1895–1978, U.S. composer.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for still

Many young people are still shedding the ignorance of our parents.
‘Empire’ Review: Hip-Hop Musical Chairs with an Insane Soap Opera Twist|Judnick Mayard|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Drugeon survived an airstrike last year and is believed to be still at large, officials have said.
U.S. Spies See Al Qaeda Fingerprints on Paris Massacre|Shane Harris, Nancy A. Youssef|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
That fantasy, however, is still heavily regimented by all sorts of norms.
‘Empire’ Review: Hip-Hop Musical Chairs with an Insane Soap Opera Twist|Judnick Mayard|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I still do find it a tremendously useful device to invent a character and have the character sing the song.
Belle & Sebastian Aren’t So Shy Anymore|James Joiner|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST

One of the other cops fired three times and those who were still able to give chase did.
Shot Down During the NYPD Slowdown|Michael Daly|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The door was still open, and Kit was still fussing about his desk.
Deering of Deal|Latta Griswold
Still I cannot see that this at all explains the expression of a "cock-and-bull story."
Notes and Queries, Number 227, March 4, 1854|Various
Still, this is nothing more than what its geographical position leads us to expect.
The Natural History of the Varieties of Man|Robert Gordon Latham
"Still you leave me in the dark," Mahommed cried, with a frown.
The Prince of India, Volume I|Lew. Wallace
The spirit and tendencies of the past century still persisted in the circles which were most permanently influential.
The Idea of Progress|J. B. Bury

British Dictionary definitions for still (1 of 2)

still

/ (stɪl) /

adjective

(usually predicative) motionless; stationary

undisturbed or tranquil; silent and calm

not sparkling or effervescenta still wine

gentle or quiet; subdued

obsolete (of a child) dead at birth

adverb

continuing now or in the future as in the pastdo you still love me?

up to this or that time; yetI still don't know your name

(often used with a comparative) even or yetstill more insults

quiet or without movementsit still

poetic, dialect always

noun

poetic silence or tranquillitythe still of the night

a still photograph, esp of a scene from a motion-picture film
(as modifier)a still camera

verb

to make or become still, quiet, or calm

(tr) to allay or relieveher fears were stilled

sentence connector

even then; neverthelessthe child has some new toys and still cries

Derived Forms

stillness, noun

Word Origin for still

Old English stille; related to Old Saxon, Old High German stilli, Dutch stollen to curdle, Sanskrit sthānús immobile

British Dictionary definitions for still (2 of 2)

still

/ (stɪl) /

noun

an apparatus for carrying out distillation, consisting of a vessel in which a mixture is heated, a condenser to turn the vapour back to liquid, and a receiver to hold the distilled liquid, used esp in the manufacture of spirits

a place where spirits are made; distillery

Word Origin for still

C16: from Old French stiller to drip, from Latin stillāre, from stilla a drip; see distil

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

Idioms and Phrases with still

still

In addition to the idioms beginning with still

still and all
still small voice
still waters run deep

also see:

heart misses a beat (stands still)
hold still
jury is still out
keep quiet (still)
quiet (still) as a mouse