Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Stāy'er, n. p. 1291One who, or that which, stays, stops, or restrains; one who upholds or supports; that which props.Stāy'-hōle, n. p. 1291A hole in a stay-sail through which the hanks pass which join it to the stay.Stāy'-lāce, n. p. 1291A lace for fastening the bodice in female dress.Stāy'less, a. p. 1291Without stop or delay. [Rare.]Stāy'-māk'er, n. p. 1291One whose occupation is to make stays.Stāy'-sāil, n. p. 1291(Naut.) Any sail extended on a stay. [See Illust. of Stay.] Totten.Stāy'-tăck'le, n. p. 1291(Naut.) A large tackle attached to the triatic stay by means of a pendant, and used to hoist heavy bodies, as boats, butts of water, and the like. Totten.Stēad, n. p. 1291Place, in general. [Obs.] Fly, therefore, fly this fearful stead. Spencer. 2. Place or room which another had, or might have. God hath appointed me another seed in stead of Abel, whom Cain slew. Gen.…Stēad, v. t. p. 1291To help; to support; to assist. It nothing steads us To chide him from our eyes. Shak. 2. To fill the place of. Shak.Stēad'/fāst, a. p. 1291Firmly fixed or established; fast fixed; firm. “This steadfast globe of earth.” Spencer. 2. Not fickle or wavering; constant; firm; resolute. Abide steadfast to him [thy neighbor] in time of his…Stĕad’făst-ly, adv. p. 1291In a steadfast manner; firmly. Steadfastly believe that whatever God has revealed is infallibly true. Wake.Stĕad'fast-ness, n. p. 1291The state of being steadfast; firmness; fixedness; constancy.Stĕad'i-ly, adv. p. 1291In a steady manner; firmly; unwaveringly; undeviatingly.Stēad’i-ness, n. p. 1291The state of being steady; firmness; steadfastness; constancy; resolution. Steadiness is a point of prudence as well as of courage. L’Estrange. Syn. — Constancy; resolution; immutability…Stead'ing, n. p. 1291The barns, stables, cattle-yards, &c., of a farm; — called also onstead, farmstead, farm-offices, or farmery. [Eng.] Stevens.Stĕad'y, a. p. 1291Firm in standing or position; not tottering or shaking; fixed; firm. 2. Constant in feeling, purpose, or pursuit; not fickle, changeable, or wavering; not easily moved or persuaded to alter a…Stĕad'y, v. t. p. 1291To hold or keep from shaking, reeling, or falling; to make or keep firm; to support.Stĕad'y, v. i. p. 1291To be firm; to maintain an upright position; to move steadily. Without a breeze, without a tide, She steadies with upright keel. Coleridge.Stĕad'y-rĕst, n. p. 1291(Mech.) The same as BACK-REST. See BACK-REST.Steāk, n. p. 1291A slice of beef, pork, venison, or the like, broiled or cut for broiling.Stēal, v. t. p. 1291To take and carry away feloniously, as the personal goods of another; to take without right or leave. Blackstone. 2. To withdraw or convey without notice, or clandestinely. They could insinuate and…Stēal, v. i. p. 1291To practice theft; to take feloniously. Thou shalt not steal. Ex. xx. 15. 2. To withdraw, or pass privily; to slip in, along, or away, unperceived. Fixed of mind to fly all company, one night she…Stēal, n. p. 1291A handle; a stale or stele.Stēal'er, n. p. 1291One who steals; a thief.Stēal'ing, n. p. 1291The act of taking the property of a person without his knowledge or consent; theft. 2. That which is stolen; stolen property; — chiefly used in the plural.Stēal'ing-ly, adv. p. 1291By stealing, or as by stealing, privately, or by an invisible motion. [R.] Sidney.Stēalth, n. p. 1291The act of stealing; theft. [Obs.] The owner proveth the stealth to have been committed on him by such an outlaw. Spenser. 2. The bringing to pass any thing in a secret or concealed manner; a secret…Stēalth'ful, a. p. 1291Given to stealth; stealthy. [Obs.] Chapman.Stealth'ful-ly, adv. p. 1291In a stealthful manner; stealthily. [Obs.]Stēalth'ful-ness, n. p. 1291The quality or state of being stealthful. [Obs.]Stēalth'ĭ-ly, adv. p. 1291In a stealthy manner; by stealth.Stēalth'i-ness, n. p. 1291The state, quality, or character of being stealthy; stealth.Stēalth'y, a. p. 1291Done by stealth; accomplished clandestinely; unperceived; secret; private; sly. Now withered Murder, with his stealthy pace, Moves like a ghost. Shak.Stēam, n. p. 1292The elastic, airiform fluid into which water is converted, when heated to the boiling point; water in the gaseous state. 2. The mist formed by condensed vapor; visible vapor; — so called in popular…Stēam, v. i. p. 1292To rise or pass off in vapor, or like vapor; to fume. Let the crude humors dance In heated brass, steaming with fire intense. Philips. 2. To rise in steam-like vapor. The dissolved amber . . .…Stēam, v. t. p. 1292To exhale; to evaporate. Spenser. 2. To expose to steam; to apply steam to for softening, dressing, or preparing: as, to steam cloth; to steam potatoes, instead of boiling them; to steam food for…Stēam'-bōat, n. p. 1292A boat, especially one of large size, propelled through the water by steam.Stēam'-boil'er, n. p. 1292A boiler for generating steam, or for subjecting objects to the operation of steam.Stēam'-cār, n. p. 1292A car driven, or drawn, by steam-power.Stēam'-cār'riage, n. p. 1292A carriage upon wheels moved by steam on common roads.Stēam'-cās'ing, n. p. 1292A space filled with steam, surrounding any vessel, pipe, or the like, to prevent the loss of heat by radiation.Stēam'-chām'ber, n. p. 1292(Steam-boilers.) A vessel, or compartment, above the water, from which steam is conducted to the engine; — called also steam-room.Stēam'-chĕst, n. p. 1292The box from which steam is distributed to a cylinder, and which usually contains one or more valves;—called also valve-chest, and valve-box. [See Illust. of Valve-gear.]Stēam'-chīm'ney, n. p. 1292An annular chamber around the chimney of a boiler-furnace, for drying steam. [U. S.]Stēam'-crāne, n. p. 1292A steam-engine and a crane combined, for the purpose of shifting heavy weights.Stēam'-cyl'in-der, n. p. 1292The cylinder of a steam-engine, which contains the piston.Stēam'-dōme, n. p. 1292(Steam-boilers.) A chamber upon the top of the boiler, from which steam is conducted to the engine.Stēam'-drēdg'er, n. p. 1292A dredging-machine worked by steam-power.Stēam'-ēn'gine, n. p. 1292An engine moved by steam. It consists principally of a piston receiving motion in a cylinder to which steam is admitted by the valve-gear, and communicating motion to the valve-gear and to the…Stēam'er, n. p. 1292A vessel propelled by steam; a steamship. 2. A fire-engine, the pumps of which are worked by steam. 3. A vessel in which articles are subjected to the action of steam, as in washing or cookery.Stēam'er-dŭck, n. p. 1292(Ornith.) A species of duck of the genus Micropterus (M. brachypterus), having very small, short wings, and so called because it moves very swiftly over the surface of the water when flying…Stēam'-găs, n. p. 1292Superheated steam;—so called because it resembles a perfect gas.Stēam'-gāuġe, n. p. 1292An instrument for indicating the pressure of the steam in a boiler. ☞ The mercurial steam gauge is a bent tube partially filled with mercury, one end of which is connected with the boiler, while the…Stēam'-gŭn, n. p. 1292A machine or contrivance by which balls, or other projectiles, may be driven by the force of steam.Stēam'-hăm'mer, n. p. 1292A form of tilt or forgehammer, consisting of a steam-cylinder and piston placed vertically over an anvil, the hammer rising and falling by the power of steam. ☞ In the variety known as Nasmith's, the…Stēam'i-ness, n. p. 1292The quality or condition of being steamy; vaporousness; mistiness.Stēam'-jăck'et, n. p. 1292The same as STEAM-CASING.Stēam'-păck'et, n. p. 1292A packet or vessel propelled by steam, and running periodically between certain ports. Simmonds.Stēam'-pīpe, n. p. 1292Any pipe for conveying steam; specifically, a pipe communicating with the upper part of a boiler, through which the steam passes in its way to the cylinder.Stēam'-plow or Stēam'-plough, n. p. 1292A plow moved by steam.