Stable

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: sta=ble

CIDE DICTIONARY

Stable, a. [OF. estable, F. stable, fr. L. stabilis, fr. stare to stand. See Stand, v. i. and cf. Establish.].

•  Firmly established; not easily moved, shaken, or overthrown; fixed; as, a stable government.  [1913 Webster]

  "In this region of chance, . . . where nothing is stable."  [1913 Webster]
•  Steady in purpose; constant; firm in resolution; not easily diverted from a purpose; not fickle or wavering; as, a man of stable character.  [1913 Webster]

  "And to her husband ever meek and stable."  [1913 Webster]
•  Durable; not subject to overthrow or change; firm; as, a stable foundation; a stable position.  [1913 Webster]
•  So placed as to resist forces tending to cause motion; of such structure as to resist distortion or molecular or chemical disturbance; -- said of any body or substance.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Stable equilibrium (Mech.), the kind of equilibrium of a body so placed that if disturbed it returns to its former position, as in the case when the center of gravity is below the point or axis of support; -- opposed to unstable equilibrium, in which the body if disturbed does not tend to return to its former position, but to move farther away from it, as in the case of a body supported at a point below the center of gravity. Cf. Neutral equilibrium, under Neutral.

Syn. -- Fixed; steady; constant; abiding; strong; durable; firm.

Stable, v. t. 

 To fix; to establish.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

Stable, n. [OF. estable, F. étable, from L. stabulum, fr. stare to stand. See Stand, v. i.].

 A house, shed, or building, for beasts to lodge and feed in; esp., a building or apartment with stalls, for horses; as, a horse stable; a cow stable.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

Stable fly (Zoöl.), a common dipterous fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) which is abundant about stables and often enters dwellings, especially in autumn; called also biting house fly. These flies, unlike the common house flies, which they resemble, bite severely, and are troublesome to horses and cattle. They differ from the larger horse fly.

Stable, v. t. 

 To put or keep in a stable.  [1913 Webster]

Stable, v. i. 

 To dwell or lodge in a stable; to dwell in an inclosed place; to kennel.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Stable, adj. (stabler, stablest)
1 firmly fixed or established; not easily adjusted, destroyed, or altered (a stable structure; a stable government).
2 firm, resolute; not wavering or fickle (a stable and steadfast friend).
3 Chem. (of a compound) not readily decomposing.
4 Physics (of an isotope) not subject to radioactive decay.

Idiom

stable equilibrium a state in which a body when disturbed tends to return to equilibrium.

Derivative

stableness n. stably adv.

Stable, n. & v.
--n.
1 a building set apart and adapted for keeping horses.
2 an establishment where racehorses are kept and trained.
3 the racehorses of a particular stable.
4 persons, products, etc., having a common origin or affiliation.
5 such an origin or affiliation.
--v.tr. put or keep (a horse) in a stable.

Idiom

stable-boy a boy employed in a stable. stable-companion (or -mate)
1 a horse of the same stable.
2 a member of the same organization. stable-girl a girl employed in a stable. stable-lad a person employed in a stable.

Derivative

stableful n. (pl. -fuls).

Etymology

ME f. OF estable f. L stabulum f. stare stand

THESAURUS

Stable

Augean stables, abiding, accordant, accountable, adamantine, age group, age-long, aged, alike, ancient, antique, articulated, assiduous, automatic, balanced, band, barn, battalion, bed, beleaguer, berth, beset, besiege, bevy, billet, blockade, body, bound, box in, brigade, bulky, bunch, bunk, byre, cabal, cage, calculable, cast, catenated, ceaseless, chamber, changeless, chastened, chronic, clique, close in, cohort, company, compass, competent, complement, concatenated, connected, consistent, consonant, constant, constrained, contain, contingent, continual, continued, continuing, continuous, controlled, cool, coop, coop in, coop up, cordon, cordon off, corps, corral, correspondent, coterie, covey, cowbarn, cowbyre, cowhouse, cowshed, crew, crowd, cyclical, deep-rooted, dense, dependable, detachment, detail, devoted, diligent, direct, diuturnal, division, dogged, domicile, domiciliate, dump, durable, encircle, enclose, encompass, endless, enduring, enshrine, entry, equable, equal, established, even, evergreen, faction, fail-safe, faithful, faithworthy, fast, favorite, featureless, fence in, fiducial, firm, firm as Gibraltar, fixed, flat, fleet, frozen, gang, gapless, group, grouping, groupment, guaranteed, harbor, hard, hardy, harmless, heavy, hedge in, hem in, hole, homogeneous, house, house in, hovel, hushed, immediate, immobile, immutable, imperturbable, impound, imprison, in control, in equilibrium, in hand, in-group, inalterable, incarcerate, incessant, include, indefatigable, indomitable, industrious, infrangible, insistent, intact, interminable, intransient, invariable, inveterate, invincible, inviolate, invulnerable, jail, joined, jointless, junta, kennel, lasting, leaguer, level, limited, linked, lodge, long-lasting, long-lived, long-standing, long-term, longeval, longevous, loyal, macrobiotic, made of iron, marble-constant, massive, measured, mechanical, methodic, mew, mew up, mews, mob, monolithic, monotonous, movement, mudder, never-ending, never-tiring, nonstop, obstinate, of a piece, of long duration, of long standing, ordered, orderly, out-group, outfit, pack, party, patient, patient as Job, peer group, pen, pen in, perdurable, perduring, perennial, periodic, permanent, perpetual, perseverant, persevering, persistent, persisting, pertinacious, pesthole, phalanx, pigpen, pigsty, plague spot, plate horse, plater, platoon, plodding, plugging, pocket, poised, pole horse, pony, posse, predictable, preoccupied, put up, quarantine, quarter, quelled, quiescent, race horse, racer, rail in, rapt, reasonable, recurrent, regiment, regular, relentless, reliable, remaining, repetitive, resolute, responsible, restrained, rigid, riskless, robotlike, rookery, room, round-the-clock, rugged, running, safe, salon, sane, seamless, secure, sedulous, sempervirent, sensible, serried, set, shelter, shrine, shut in, shut up, single-minded, sleepless, slogging, slum, smooth, solid, sound, squad, stabile, stake horse, staker, stall, starter, static, stationary, staunch, staying, steadfast, steady, steeplechaser, stout, straight, string, strong, stubborn, sturdy, sty, subdued, substantial, sure, surefire, surround, sustained, systematic, team, tempered, tenacious, tenement, the slums, tireless, torpid, tough, tribe, troop, troupe, true, true-blue, trustworthy, trusty, twenty-four-hour, unabating, unalterable, unaltered, unassailable, unbreakable, unbroken, unceasing, unchangeable, unchanged, unchanging, unchecked, unconquerable, undangerous, undaunted, undestroyed, undeviating, undifferentiated, undiscouraged, undiversified, undrooping, unending, unfading, unfailing, unfaltering, unflagging, unflappable, unflinching, unhazardous, uniform, unintermitted, unintermittent, unintermitting, uninterrupted, unnodding, unperilous, unprecarious, unrelaxing, unrelenting, unrelieved, unremitting, unrisky, unruffled, unshakable, unshifting, unsleeping, unstopped, unswerving, untiring, unvaried, unvarying, unwavering, unwearied, unwearying, unwinking, unyielding, utterly attentive, vital, wall in, warranteed, warren, weariless, well-balanced, well-built, well-constructed, well-founded, well-grounded, well-made, wing, without nerves, wrap, yard, yard up

ROGET THESAURUS

Stable

Permanence

N permanence, stability, quiescence, obstinacy, permanence, persistence, endurance, durability, standing, status quo, maintenance, preservation, conservation, conservation, law of the Medes and Persians, standing dish, stable, persisting, permanent, established, unchanged &c (change), renewed, intact, inviolate, persistent, monotonous, uncheckered, unfailing, undestroyed, unrepealed, unsuppressed, conservative, qualis ab incepto, prescriptive, stationary, in statu quo, for good, finally, at a stand, at a standstill, uti possidetis, without a shadow of turning, esto perpetua, nolumus leges Angliae mutari, j'y suis et j'y ereste.

Stability

N stability, immutability, unchangeability unchangeableness, constancy, stable equilibrium, immobility, soundness, vitality, stabiliment, stiffness, ankylosis, solidity, aplomb, establishment, fixture, rock, pillar, tower, foundation, leopard's spots, Ethiopia's skin, permanence, obstinacy, unchangeable, immutable, unaltered, unalterable, not to be changed, constant, permanent, invariable, undeviating, stable, durable, perennial, fixed, steadfast, firm, fast, steady, balanced, confirmed, valid, fiducial, immovable, irremovable, riveted, rooted, settled, established, vested, incontrovertible, stereotyped, indeclinable, tethered, anchored, moored, at anchor, on a rock, rock solid, firm as a rock, firmly seated, firmly established, deep-rooted, ineradicable, inveterate, obstinate, transfixed, stuck fast, aground, high and dry, stranded, stuck, jammed, unremovable, quiescent, deterioration, indefeasible, irretrievable, intransmutable, incommutable, irresoluble, irrevocable, irreversible, reverseless, inextinguishable, irreducible, indissoluble, indissolvable, indestructible, undying, imperishable, incorruptible, indelible, indeciduous, insusceptible, insusceptible of change, Int, stet, littera scripta manet.

Abode

N abode, dwelling, lodging, domicile, residence, apartment, place, digs, pad, address, habitation, where one's lot is cast, local habitation, berth, diggings, seat, lap, sojourn, housing, quarters, headquarters, resiance, tabernacle, throne, ark, home, fatherland, country, homestead, homestall, fireside, hearth, hearth stone, chimney corner, inglenook, ingle side, harem, seraglio, zenana, household gods, lares et penates, roof, household, housing, dulce domum, paternal domicile, native soil, native land, habitat, range, stamping ground, haunt, hangout, biosphere, environment, ecological niche, nest, nidus, snuggery, arbor, bower, lair, den, cave, hole, hiding place, cell, sanctum sanctorum, aerie, eyrie, eyry, rookery, hive, covert, resort, retreat, perch, roost, nidification, kala jagah, bivouac, camp, encampment, cantonment, castrametation, barrack, casemate, casern, tent, building, chamber, xenodochium, tenement, messuage, farm, farmhouse, grange, hacienda, toft, cot, cabin, hut, chalet, croft, shed, booth, stall, hovel, bothy, shanty, dugout, wigwam, pen, barn, bawn, kennel, sty, doghold, cote, coop, hutch, byre, cow house, cow shed, stable, dovecote, columbary, columbarium, shippen, igloo, iglu, jacal, lacustrine dwelling, lacuslake dwelling, lacuspile dwelling, log cabin, log house, shack, shebang, tepee, topek, house, mansion, place, villa, cottage, box, lodge, hermitage, rus in urbe, folly, rotunda, tower, chateau, castle, pavilion, hotel, court, manor-house, capital messuage, hall, palace, kiosk, bungalow, casa, country seat, apartment house, flat house, frame house, shingle house, tenement house, temple, hamlet, village, thorp, dorp, ham, kraal, borough, burgh, town, city, capital, metropolis, suburb, province, country, county town, county seat, courthouse, ghetto, street, place, terrace, parade, esplanade, alameda, board walk, embankment, road, row, lane, alley, court, quadrangle, quad, wynd, close, yard, passage, rents, buildings, mews, square, polygon, circus, crescent, mall, piazza, arcade, colonnade, peristyle, cloister, gardens, grove, residences, block of buildings, market place, place, plaza, anchorage, roadstead, roads, dock, basin, wharf, quay, port, harbor, quarter, parish, assembly room, meetinghouse, pump room, spa, watering place, inn, hostel, hostelry, hotel, tavern, caravansary, dak bungalow, khan, hospice, public house, pub, pot house, mug house, gin mill, gin palace, bar, bar room, barrel house, cabaret, chophouse, club, clubhouse, cookshop, dive, exchange, grill room, saloon, shebeen, coffee house, eating house, canteen, restaurant, buffet, cafe, estaminet, posada, almshouse, poorhouse, townhouse, garden, park, pleasure ground, plaisance, demesne, cage, terrarium, doghouse, pen, aviary, barn, stall, zoo, urban, metropolitan, suburban, provincial, rural, rustic, domestic, cosmopolitan, palatial, eigner Hert ist goldes Werth, even cities have their graves, ubi libertas ibi patria, home sweet home.