out of/in the house) last night. | The price has gone down, but I doubt whether it will stay down. | The men stayed out (on strike) for a week. | I stayed up (=did not go to bed) until 2.00 in the morning. | Please stay where you are. | I don't know whether to stay in teaching (=to remain a teacher) or to try to get another job. | [+adj] The weather has stayed warm all week. | [+n] He never got promoted, and stayed a private during all his time in the army. 3 [|(at, with)] to live in a place for a while as a visitor or guest: My mother is staying (with us) this week. | We're staying at a hotel. | I stayed the night at a friend's house. (=stayed from one day to the next) 4 [| usually imperative] old use to stop; wait a moment: But stay! What is this? 5 [T] fml to reduce the strength of; ALLAY: stay their fears 6 be here to stay/have come to stay to become generally accepted: Do you think coloured hair is here to stay, or will the fashion change again? 7 stay after school euph to be given a DETENTION 8 stay put infml to remain in one place; not move: Just stay put for a minute while I look for him. 9 stay the course to last successfully until the end of something; not give up in spite of difficulties
1 You stay at a hotel, but with friends (=in their house). 2 Remain is more formal than stay and cannot be used in meanings 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 above. → see also LIVE (USAGE)
stay on phr v to remain after the usual or expected time for leaving: Are you going to stay on at school after you're sixteen?
'stay-at-home n infml derog someone who habitually stays at home and has an unadventurous life
stayer /'steɪər/ n usually apprecia horse or person who can keep going to the end of a long race, course etc
'staying ,power n [U] the power to keep going to the end;
ENDURANCE; STAMINA
stays /steɪz/ n [P] a lady's old-fashioned undergarment stiffened by pieces of bone and worn tight around the waist
St Ber·nard /sənt 'bɜːnədəl/ sent bər'nərd/ n a large strong Swiss dog used especially formerly for helping lost mountain travellers. Pictures of St Bernards often show them carrying a wooden container of BRANDY tied round their necks.
std written abbrev. for standard
STD /,es ti: 'di:/ n abbrev. for 1 [C;U] sexually transmitted disease; a disease that is passed from one person to another while they are having sex, such as AIDS 2 [U] subscriber trunk dialling; the telephone system in the UK that allows people to make calls to places that are far away, by using a number called the STD code
stead /sted/ n in someone's stead fml in someone's place; instead of someone: While the chairman is away, another director will act in his stead. → see also INSTEAD, stand someone in good stead (STAND)
stead·fast /'stedfɑːstl-fæst/ adj fml or lit 1 apprec faithful; steadily loyal: a steadfast friend 2 steady; not moving or movable: a steadfast gaze ︷ly adv ︸ness n [U]
Stead·man, Al·i·son /'stedmən, 'әлsən/ (1946-) a British film and television actress who is known especially for playing Beverly in Abigail's Party (1977) and for acting in other plays and films by Mike Leigh. Her films include Shirley Valentine and Life is Sweet.
steady' /'stedi/ adj 1 firm or fixed in position, movement, or state; well controlled; not shaking: Hold that candle steady. | Take steady aim, then fire. | Don't worry; the ladder's steady as a rock. (=completely firm) | It's a delicate job needing a steady hand/steady nerves. → opposite UNSTEADY 2 moving or developing in an even, continuous way; regular: a steady speed | a long period of steady economic growth | a steady east wind 3 not changing; STABLE: My son's finally found himself a steady job. 4 apprec dependable and serious-minded: She needs to marry someone steady. —ily adv: His condition has got steadily worse. —iness n [U]
steady² v [I;T(DOWN)] to become or make steady: The pound has steadied after early losses on the money markets. | He steadied his trembling hand with an effort. | A glass of whisky will steady your nerves.
steady $ ^{3} $ adv AmE go steady (of a boy and a girl) to have a firm relationship and to go out together regularly
steady $ ^{4} $ also,steady 'on interj BrE infml be careful; watch what you're doing: Steady (on)! You nearly knocked my glass out of my hand!
steady $ ^{5} $ n AmE the boy or girl one is going steady with: Jill is Ray's steady.
,steady 'state ,theory, the n tech the idea that things in space have always existed and have always been going further apart as new atoms come into being
steak /sterk/ n 1 [C;U] a thick flat piece of meat from cattle (or from a stated animal or large fish), cut from the fleshy part and of good quality: 'How would you like your steak done, sir?' 'Rare/Medium rare/Well-done, please.' | a fillet steak | Two gammon steaks, please. | a salmon steak 2 [U] BrE such cattle meat of a less good quality, usually used in small pieces in dishes with vegetables or pastry
,steak and ,kidney 'pie n [C;U] a dish containing steak and KIDNEY with a PASTRY top. It is thought of as a typical British dish.
,steak and kidney pudding n [C;U] a dish containing steak, KIDNEY, and SUET that is cooked in steam for a long time
steak·house /'steikhaus/ n. a restaurant that serves especially steak
,steak tar'tare n [U] minced (MINCE) steak eaten raw, usually with a raw egg
steal² n [S] infml, especially AmE something for sale very cheaply: At 20 bucks this camera was a steal!
steal¹ /stiːl/ v stole /stəʊl/, stolen /'stəʊlən/ 1 [l;T(from)] to take (what belongs to someone else) without any right to it: He was sent to prison for stealing. | My bicycle was stolen while I was in the shop. | They've had their car stolen. (=someone has stolen it) | There's a risk that rival companies will steal our ideas. 2 [T(from)] to take or get quickly, secretly, or without permission: I stole a kiss from her. | He stole a glance at the pretty girl across the table. 3 [l+adv/prep] to move secretly or quietly: He stole out of the house without anyone seeing him. | (lit) The evening shadows began to steal across the lawn. 4 [T] (in BASEBALL) to move to (the next BASE) before another player has hit the ball: Henderson has twelve stolen bases to his credit this season. 5 steal a march on to secretly or unexpectedly gain an advantage over (someone) by taking quick action 6 steal someone's heart to cause someone to fall in love, usually not intentionally: He stole my heart as soon as he smiled and said my name: 7 steal someone's thunder infml to gain for oneself the success or recognition that should have gone to someone else, by doing oneself what they had intended to do 8 steal the scene/show to get all the attention and praise expected by someone else at a show or other event
One steals things. One robs people (of things): I've been robbed! I He robbed me of my watch! I He stole my watch!
stealth /steɪlθ/ n [ʊ] fml the action of moving or acting secretly or unseen: He removed the keys from the cloakroom by stealth.
'stealth ,bomber n an American BOMBER aircraft which cannot be discovered by RADAR instruments
'stealth tax n BrE a tax or charge that a government introduces in such a way that people do not realize that they are paying more money
stealth·y /'stelθi/ adj quiet and secret; (trying to remain)
unseen: a stealthy glance at her watch —ily adv
steam¹ /stiːm/ n [U] 1 water in the state of a gas produced by boiling: clouds of steam 2 power or effort produced by steam under pressure, and used for making things work or move: The engines are driven by steam. | steam-powered machinery | Up on the bridge, the captain ordered full steam ahead. (=the ship to go forward with the fastest speed) | (fig.) We've got government approval, so now we can go full steam ahead with our plans. | (fig.) He started off with great enthusiasm, but now he's beginning to run out of steam. | (fig.) There wasn't room for me in their car, so I had to get there under my own steam. (=without help from anyone else) 3 the mist formed by water becoming cool: Steam formed on the inside of the kitchen windows. 4 railway operation by steam engines: the age of steam 5 infilm strong feelings or active strength considered as trapped by self-control: I was so angry I let off steam