Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Nearby Entries
stead - 6 dictionary results

stead

  [sted] ,
Use stead in a Sentence
–noun
1. the place of a person or thing as occupied by a successor or substitute: The nephew of the queen came in her stead.
2. Obsolete. a place or locality.
–verb (used with object)
3. to be of service, advantage, or avail to.
—Idiom
4. stand in good stead, to be useful to, esp. in a critical situation: Your experience will stand you in good stead.
Origin:
bef. 900; (n.) ME, OE stede; c. G Stätte place; akin to G Stadt, ON stathr, Goth staths, Gk stásis (see stasis ); (v.) ME steden, deriv. of the n.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To stead
stead   (stěd)   
n.  
  1. The place, position, or function properly or customarily occupied by another.
  2. Advantage; service; purpose: "His personal relationship with the electorate stands in good stead" (John Sears).
tr.v.   stead·ed, stead·ing, steads
To be of advantage or service to; benefit.

[Middle English stede, from Old English; see stā- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Stead

Stead\, n. [OE. stede place, AS. stede; akin to LG. & D. stede, OS. stad, stedi, OHG. stat, G. statt, st["a]tte, Icel. sta[eth]r, Dan. sted, Sw. stad, Goth. sta?s, and E. stand. [root]163. See Stand, and cf. Staith, Stithy.]

1. Place, or spot, in general. [Obs., except in composition.] --Chaucer.

Fly, therefore, fly this fearful stead anon. --Spenser.

2. Place or room which another had, has, or might have. "Stewards of your steads." --Piers Plowman.

In stead of bounds, he a pillar set. --Chaucer.

3. A frame on which a bed is laid; a bedstead. [R.]

The genial bed, Sallow the feet, the borders, and the stead. --Dryden.

4. A farmhouse and offices. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

Note: The word is now commonly used as the last part of a compound; as, farmstead, homestead, readstead, etc.

In stead of, in place of. See Instead.

To stand in stead, or To do stead, to be of use or great advantage.

The smallest act . . . shall stand us in great stead. --Atterbury.

Here thy sword can do thee little stead. --Milton.

Stead

Stead\, v. t. 1. To help; to support; to benefit; to assist.

Perhaps my succour or advisement meet, Mote stead you much your purpose to subdue. --Spenser.

It nothing steads us To chide him from our eaves. --Shak.

2. To fill place of. [Obs.] --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source

stead 
O.E. stede "place, position, standing, delay," related to standan "to stand," from P.Gmc. *stadiz (cf. O.S. stedi, O.N. staðr, Swed. stad, Du. stede "place," O.H.G. stat, Ger. Stadt "town," Goth. staþs "place"), from PIE *stetis-, from base *ste-/*sta- "to stand" (see stet). Now chiefly in compounds or phrases. Steadfast is from O.E. stedefæst "secure in position," from stede + fæst "firmly fixed" (see fast).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source

stead

see in someone's shoes (stead); stand in good stead. Also see under instead.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see stead on Thesaurus | Reference