stead

[ sted ]
See synonyms for stead on Thesaurus.com
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)
  1. to be of service, advantage, or avail to.

Idioms about stead

  1. stand in good stead, to be useful to, especially in a critical situation: Your experience will stand you in good stead.

Origin of stead

1
before 900; (noun) Middle English, Old English stede; cognate with German Stätte place; akin to German Stadt,Old Norse stathr,Gothic staths,Greek stásis (see stasis); (v.) Middle English steden, derivative of the noun

Words Nearby stead

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

How to use stead in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for stead (1 of 2)

stead

/ (stɛd) /


noun
  1. (preceded by in) rare the place, function, or position that should be taken by another: to come in someone's stead

  2. stand someone in good stead to be useful or of good service to (someone)

verb
  1. (tr) archaic to help or benefit

Origin of stead

1
Old English stede; related to Old Norse stathr place, Old High German stat place, Latin statiō a standing, statim immediately

British Dictionary definitions for Stead (2 of 2)

Stead

/ (stɛd) /


noun
  1. Christina (Ellen). 1902–83, Australian novelist. Her works include Seven Poor Men of Sydney (1934), The Man who Loved Children (1940), and Cotters' England (1966)

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 stead

stead

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

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