Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
STEADY, adj., adv. Also steddy (Abd. 1777 R. Forbes Ulysses 15), stiddy (Sc. 1920 D. Rorie Auld Doctor 25); steedy (Mry. 1830 T. D. Lauder Moray Floods (1873) 242; Sc. 1887 Stevenson Merry Men ii., m.Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick 191, s.Sc. 1931 Border Mag. (Nov.) 164; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein); studdy (m.Lth. 1870 J. Lauder Warblings 59; Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 445), studdie (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., Sh. 1971), stodi (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)); stathy (Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 32). Sc. forms and usages. [′stɛdi, ′stɪ-, ′stʌ-; ′stide]
I. adj. As in Eng. Deriv. steadyment, steadiness, stability. Rare and obs. in Eng.Abd. 1929 Press and Jnl. (19 June) 9:
There was some “steadyment” in farming before the war.
II. adv. Continuously, all the time. Gen.Sc.Ags. 1899 Barrie W. in Thrums viii.:
A body doesna buy cloaks to be wearin' at them steady.Abd. 1928:
He vrocht there steady aa simmer.Abd. 1968 Scottish Studies XII. 119:
I sung for him steady till two o'clock.
III. v. Of a hawk, specif. a kestrel: to hover in one spot on the look-out for prey (Gall. 1955, studdy).
[For the phonetics see Steid. O.Sc. has studdie, steadily, a.1685. The -u- forms may represent, in Sh. at least, Norw. stodug, O.N. stǫdugr, steady, and as a v., Norw. dial. stydja, O.N. styðja, to steady, prop up.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Steady adj., adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 22 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/steady>
