stead

Definitions

1. 1.Place or room which another had, has, or might have. "Stewards of your steads." Piers Plowman. In stead of bounds, he a pillar set. Chaucer.
2. 2.A frame on which a bed is laid; a bedstead. [R.] The genial bed, Sallow the feet, the borders, and the stead. Dryden.
3. 3.A farmhouse and offices. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] Note: The word is now commonly used as the last part of a compound; as, farmstead, homestead, readstead, etc. In stead of, in place of. See Instead. -- To stand in stead, or To do stead, to be of use or great advantage. The smallest act . . . shall stand us in great stead. Atterbury. Here thy sword can do thee little stead. Milton.
4. 4.To help; to support; to benefit; to assist. Perhaps my succour or advisement meet, Mote stead you much your purpose to subdue. Spenser. It nothing steads us To chide him from our eaves. Shak.
5. 5.To fill place of. [Obs.] Shak.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "stead" mean?
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Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is stead.

• What is place or room which another had, has, or might have. "Stewards of your steads." Piers Plowman. In stead of bounds, he a pillar set. Chaucer called?
• What is a frame on which a bed is laid; a bedstead. [R.] The genial bed, Sallow the feet, the borders, and the stead. Dryden called?
• What is to help; to support; to benefit; to assist. Perhaps my succour or advisement meet, Mote stead you much your purpose to subdue. Spenser. It nothing steads us To chide him from our eaves. Shak called?