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to steady

to steady

41 3.4
To make yourself or something stop moving
  • verb
  • /ˈstɛdi/
translation icon : sujetar
  • He placed his hand on the table to steady himself during the earthquake.

Swipe in the morning, comes next to keep the headache at Bay, to moisten his wooden tongue, to steady his shaking hands.

Examples

  • Jacob put a hand on her shoulder to steady her as jackboots slapped against the floor of New Church.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Peter poured me some brandy and steadied my arm while I drank it.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • I put a hand on the side of the building to steady myself.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • I could hear him taking a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Do you think you can steady me until I'm finished?

  • First off, when you're just starting, try to steady your elbow if you can.

  • "Well, you've seen one now," he said, steadying himself with the chair beside him.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The student steadied his camcorder with one hand and held a microphone with the other.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • My heart rate slowed, my breathing steadied, and the urge to run faded away.

    Blog text (20)
  • For several years, teleoperated robots have helped surgeons perform delicate operations by scaling down and steadying the movements of their hands.

    Academic text (2017)

Synonyms

to secure
vsto steady
347 3.3

To fasten firmly so it cannot move or be taken

aims at making stability rather than preventing removal
to balance
vsto steady
285 2.0

To keep something steady so it does not fall

covers fixing and resistance to sudden movement not just equilibrium
to stabilize
vsto steady
  • US
197 3.7

To make something steady so it stops moving or falling

is focused on creating lasting balance and preventing sudden change
to brace
vsto steady
150 4.4

To make something stronger or prepare yourself for something difficult

focuses on causing stable balance rather than merely adding support
to hold steady
vsto steady
17 2.9

Keep something or someone in place and still

is about making or becoming stable rather than only holding still
to poise
vsto steady
8 4.8

To hold something in a steady, balanced position

is more general focusing on stability without grace

Antonyms

916 1.0

To move quickly from side to side or up and down

40 3.8

To move or shake unsteadily from side to side

Idioms

Calm, skilled control of a team or company in difficult times

Phrasal Verbs

to go steady
  • Archaic
19 6.0

To have a regular romantic relationship with just one person

Keep something or someone in place and still

To make a situation calm and stable during a difficult time

Compounds

7 3.8

A calm, careful way of guiding movement or people in difficult situations

A regular increase in size or value over time

5 2.7

An even speed without big changes or stops

A regular rhythm from drums that marks time and creates a mood

1 4.3

Very steady and reliable in what someone does

7.7

Careful action that avoids sudden changes or risks

4.9

A person who stays calm and acts in a reliable way

8.3

An idea that the universe stays the same overall because new matter is made as galaxies move apart

How Secure

to anchor
51 3.4
to secure
347 3.3
to stabilize
  • US
197 3.7
to steady
41 3.4
to support
240 1.0

Surface Forms

steady infinitive
steadied past
steadied past participle
steadying present participle
steadies third person singular

Etymology

To steady something comes from the same root stead 'place' and the old idea of making something stand in its place, so to steady your hands or a ladder is to make them stable and stop them from moving or shaking.