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Word Study
stead
CIDE DICTIONARY
stead, n. [OE. stede place, AS. stede; akin to LG. & D. stede, OS. stad, stedi, OHG. stat, G. statt, stätte, Icel. sta, Dan. sted, Sw. stad, Goth. sta, and E. stand. √163. See Stand, and cf. Staith, Stithy.].
- Place, or spot, in general. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]"Fly, therefore, fly this fearful stead anon." [1913 Webster]
- Place or room which another had, has, or might have. Piers Plowman. [1913 Webster]"In stead of bounds, he a pillar set." [1913 Webster]
- A frame on which a bed is laid; a bedstead. [1913 Webster]"The genial bed,
Sallow the feet, the borders, and the stead." [1913 Webster] - A farmhouse and offices. [1913 Webster]" The word is now commonly used as the last part of a compound; as, farmstead, homestead, roadstead, etc." [1913 Webster]"The smallest act . . . shall stand us in great stead." [1913 Webster]"Here thy sword can do thee little stead." [1913 Webster]
stead, v. t.
- To help; to support; to benefit; to assist. [1913 Webster]"Perhaps my succour or advisement meet,
Mote stead you much your purpose to subdue." [1913 Webster]"It nothing steads us
To chide him from our eaves." [1913 Webster] - To fill the place of. Shak. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
stead, n.
Idiom
in a person's or thing's stead as a substitute; instead of him or her or it. stand a person in good stead be advantageous or serviceable to him or her.
Etymology
OE stede f. Gmc
THESAURUS
stead
abet, abode, aid, area, assist, bearings, bench mark, district, do for, emplacement, help out, hole, latitude and longitude, lieu, locale, locality, location, locus, pinpoint, place, placement, point, position, region, site, situation, situs, spot, whereabout, whereaboutsROGET THESAURUS
stead
Utility
N utility, usefulness, efficacy, efficiency, adequacy, service, use, stead, avail, help, applicability, subservience, function, value, worth, money's worth, productiveness, cui bono, utilization, step in the right direction, common weal, commonwealth public good, public interest, utilitarianism, useful, of use, serviceable, proficuous, good for, subservient, conducive, subsidiary, advantageous, profitable, gainful, remunerative, worth one's salt, valuable, prolific, adequate, efficient, efficacious, effective, effectual, expedient, applicable, available, ready, handy, at hand, tangible, commodious, adaptable, of all work, usefully, pro bono publico.Also see definition of "stead" in Bible Study Dictionaries
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