Oxford Thesaurus - An A-Z Dictionary Of Synonyms

statue n. sculpture, figure, figurine, statuette, carving, casting, model, bronze, image, icon or ikon, effigy, representation; bust, atlas, caryatid, colossus, figurehead, Biblical graven image: A statue of Disraeli stands in the market square of Aylesbury.

statuesque

adj. imposing, impressive, majestic, regal, stately, magnificent, noble, dignified, august, grand, well-proportioned,

comely, handsome, queenly, Junoesque: Julie's statuesque figure was well set off by the draped silk gown.

unshrinking, unswerving, dependable, reliable, (tried and) true, devoted, true-blue, trusty, trusted, faithful, unfaltering, undeviating, unwavering: Charles has always been a staunch supporter of the party. 2 strong, solid, sturdy, sound, well-built, stout, substantial, well-constructed, well-made, tough, rugged, long-lasting; watertight, seaworthy: The ship's staunch oaken hull has withstood much abuse over the years.

stay° v. 1 remain, stop, continue, tarry, wait, stand, Colloq freeze: Stay where you are or I'll shoot! 2 remain, stop, lodge, sojourn, abide, reside, dwell, live, visit: I heard that Sheila was back in town, staying at her aunt's. 3 keep, remain, continue to be: I was having trouble staying awake. 4 stop, arrest, thwart, prevent, put an end to, halt, interrupt, block, check; curb, retard, slow, impede, foil, obstruct, hamper, hinder, discourage, deter; delay, postpone, put off, discontinue, defer, Technical prorogue: Only one man has the authority to stay the execution. What can be done to stay the advance of the killer bees? 5 linger, loiter, wait, tarry, stop, remain, Archaic bide: I like this part of the world and plan to stay here a while.

--n. 6 stop, stoppage, arrest, set-back, check, halt, prevention, discontinuance, discontinuation, interruption,

blockage, delay, postponement, deferment, deferral, reprieve: Have you been able to arrange a stay in carrying out the sentence? 7 stopover, sojourn, visit, stop: We really enjoyed our stay at Fred's house in Fort Lauderdale.

stayý n. 1 guy, line, rope, cable, chain, support, brace, reinforcement; Technical head-stay, (running) backstay, forestay, mainstay, mizen-stay: If one of those stays gives way, the entire structure may fall.

--v. 2 support, strengthen, secure, reinforce, brace, buttress, gird, shore (up): The mast is stayed by two steel cables, fore and aft.

steadfast adj. resolute, determined, persevering, resolved, single-minded, steady, unflinching, unfaltering, unwavering, unswerving, indefatigable, dependable, immovable, stable, firm, fixed, constant, persistent, unflagging, tireless, enduring, dedicated, deep-rooted, faithful, true, loyal, staunch: For

years Janet has been steadfast in supporting the cause. Stephen was a steadfast friend and will never be forgotten.

steady adj. 1 stable, firm, solid, substantial, sound, stout, strong: Is this chair steady enough to stand on? 2 even, regular, uniform, habitual, invariable, unvarying, unfluctuating, unwavering, undeviating, changeless, unchanging, continuous, constant; perpetual, non-stop, round-the-clock, persistent, uninterrupted, unbroken, unrelieved, unceasing, ceaseless, incessant, relentless, unremitting, never-ending, unending, endless: Steady trade winds could be relied on to carry vessels

to the Caribbean. Inflation has remained steady for a year. How do the children manage to survive on a steady diet of junk food? The economists fear a steady rise in inflation. 3 unflinching, unblinking, fixed, constant, unfaltering, continuous, direct:

The boy began to quail under the headmaster's steady gaze. 4 calm, cool, balanced, equable, controlled: Steady nerves are needed to handle this new breed of fighter plane. 5 devoted, firm, staunch, faithful, loyal, long-standing, inveterate, consistent, confirmed, persistent: The Pendergasts have always been steady supporters of the museum. 6 staid, sedate, sober, dignified, poised, sophisticated, civilized, sensible, down-to-earth, settled, serious, level-headed, reliable, Colloq

unflappable: WANTED: Steady person as housekeeper to eccentric

editor.

--adv. 7 firmly, solidly: His wife was holding the ladder steady while he mended the gutter. 8 go steady. keep company, date, socialize: Is Jane still going steady with Hubert?

--n. 9 boyfriend, girlfriend, (regular) fellow or girl, sweetheart, Colloq guy, gal, woman, man: Yes, Hubert is still Jane's steady. 10 regular, habitu‚, customer, frequenter, familiar face: Gil has been a steady here ever since we opened.

--v. 11 stabilize, hold fast; brace, secure, support, strengthen: Prices steadied after the first hour of trading. To steady the table, merely tighten the screws holding the legs.

steal v. 1 take (away), appropriate, filch, shoplift, pilfer,

purloin, make or walk off or away with, get away with; embezzle, misappropriate, peculate; Colloq lift, pinch, hook, snitch, borrow, US boost, liberate, heist, hijack, Slang swipe, Brit

nick, prig, US hoist: The thieves stole only the emeralds, leaving the diamonds. The bookkeeper stole the money by diverting it into his own account. 2 plagiarize, pirate, copy, imitate, appropriate, usurp, take: He claims that the story of the film was stolen from his short story. 3 sneak, creep, slip, tiptoe, prowl, lurk, skulk, Colloq pussyfoot: Silently, we stole into the garden at the rear of the house.

--n. 4 bargain, (good) buy, Colloq give-away: At that price, the rug was a steal!

stealing n. theft, robbery, robbing, larceny, pilferage, shoplifting, poaching, embezzlement, peculation, thievery, thieving, filching, burglary, plagiarism, plagiarizing, piracy, pirating: Stealing from the church poor-box must be one of the lowest things a person can do.

stealth n. furtiveness, secrecy, clandestineness, surreptitiousness, sneakiness, slyness, underhandedness: What the thieves lacked in stealth they compensated for in knowledge of art.

stealthy adj. stealthful, furtive, secretive, secret, sly, clandestine, surreptitious, sneaky, sneaking, skulking, covert, undercover, underhand(ed), backstairs, hugger-mugger, closet: He was as

stealthy as a cat in his movements. They were stealthy collectors of pornography.

steamy adj. 1 humid, steaming, damp, moist, muggy, sticky, dank, sweaty, sweltering, sodden, sultry, boiling, wet: We were not prepared for the steamy jungle of equatorial Africa. 2 steamed (up), fogged (up), befogged, misty, misted, hazy, clouded,

she's angry.

--n. 3 Usually, bum steer. (bad or poor) tip or suggestion or hint; (bad or poor) guidance or advice or information: He avoids me because I once gave him a bum steer on a horse.

--v. 3 come, arise, develop, derive, issue, flow, generate, originate, spring, emanate, sprout, grow, descend, result, proceed: The dispute stems from basic differences in the ways the parties regard property.

stemý v. 1 check, stop, halt, stanch or staunch, arrest, stay, curb, control, quell, suppress; retard, slow, lessen, diminish,

reduce, cut (back (on)): The government introduced legislation to stem immigration. I was able to stem the bleeding by applying the tourniquet. 2 stem the tide (of). resist, withstand, go or

make headway or advance or make progress against, prevail over or against: They were unable to stem the tide of public

opinion.

stench n. stink, reek, noisomeness, mephitis, fetor or foetor, foul odour, effluvium, Colloq Brit pong: A terrible stench emanated from the cupboard. For decades their government has wallowed in the stench of corruption.

stenographer

n. secretary, amanuensis, stenotypist, tachygrapher, phonographer: The court stenographer read back part of the testimony.

stenography

n. shorthand, stenotypy, tachygraphy, speedwriting: Her qualification in stenography proved most useful.

resign, abdicate, quit, bow out, retire: Don't you think it time you stepped down from the chairmanship? b decrease,

diminish, reduce: Using this transformer, we can step down the voltage gradually. 15 step in. intervene, interfere, intercede, become involved: It seemed the right time for us to step in and take over the company. 16 step on it. hurry (up), make haste, hasten, speed up: He'd better step on it if he is going to

catch his plane. 17 step out. a go outside or out of doors,

leave: Would you mind stepping out for a few minutes while we settle this in private? b go out, socialize: Notice how quickly Genevieve has started stepping out again after her bereavement. c become disinvolved, withdraw, secede: Our firm stepped out of the negotiations when we saw who was bidding. 18 step up. a improve, progress: George has certainly stepped up in the world since I knew him at university. b increase, accelerate, raise, intensify, boost, escalate, up, speed up: They stepped up the pace until she could no longer keep up with them.

sterile adj. 1 barren, fruitless, unfruitful, childless, unproductive, infertile, infecund: The first great disappointment of Napoleon's life was that Josephine was sterile. 2 pure, aseptic, uninfected, unpolluted, uncontaminated, disinfected, sanitary, sterilized, germ-free, antiseptic: Make sure that you always use a sterile bandage for a wound. 3 barren, unproductive, stale, effete: Vanessa's greatest fear was that her mind would become sterile and she would run out of ideas.

sterilize v. 1 purify, disinfect, cleanse, clean, fumigate, depurate, Technical autoclave: Sterilize the instruments before using them. 2 castrate (males), emasculate (males), geld (horses), spay (female animals), alter (animals), neuter (animals),

caponize (male fowl), eunuchize (males), Technical ovariectomize (females), vasectomize (males), Colloq fix (animals), cut (male animals), Slang tie (someone's) tubes: Steers - that is,

sterilized bulls - yield tenderer meat.

sterling adj. 1 genuine, authentic, real, true, pure: Is this candle-snuffer sterling silver? 2 excellent, superior, superb, superlative, first-class, exceptional, matchless, peerless, unequalled, nonpareil, incomparable, fine, very good, worthy, estimable, admirable: Commander Ian Johnston has acquitted himself as an officer of sterling character.

stick° v. 1 pierce, thrust, stab, transfix, pin, spike, impale, spear, spit, run through, poke, gore, jab, prick, puncture, punch, penetrate, drill, bore, riddle, perforate: He stuck the wild boar with his spear. 2 put, drop, place, deposit, Colloq shove, plonk, plunk, plop: Stick another ice cube in my drink, would you? 3 put, poke, push, thrust, prod, dig; insert: She stuck her head out of the window to get a better look. Stop sticking your finger in my ribs! 4 attach, fasten, affix, fix, nail, pin, tack; glue, cement, paste, gum, weld, solder, bind, tie, tape, wire; bond, melt, fuse, unite, join: What shall we used to stick the poster to the wall? How can I stick the pieces of the vase together again? 5 Often, stick together. cohere, adhere,

stay or remain or cleave or cling together: I cannot make these parts stick together. 6 hold, last, endure, go through, be

upheld, be or remain effective, remain attached: The prosecutor was unable to make a charge of murder stick. 7 linger, dwell, remain (fixed), continue, stay; be or become lodged or stopped or fixed or fast or immovable or stationary, be or become

entangled or enmired or bogged down: Something sticks in my mind about your leaving next week. We were stuck in the Sunday traffic for hours. The wheel is stuck in the sand. 8 burden,

weigh down, encumber, saddle with, charge, impose on, force on: We stuck Tony with the nasty job of changing the tyre. 9

baffle, puzzle, bewilder, perplex, confuse, stump, stop, nonplus: I was totally stuck for a solution. 10 stand, abide, tolerate, endure, bear: I can't stick people watching me while I am painting. 11 stick around or about. wait, tarry, linger,

stay, stand by, remain, Colloq hang around or about or on: Can you stick around for a few minutes after the meeting? 12 stick at. stop at, hesitate at, pause at, scruple at, be deterred or

put off by, take exception to, shrink from or at, balk at: Barnes sticks at nothing to get his way. 13 stick by. support, be loyal or faithful to, stand by: Arnold will stick by you, come what may. 14 stick it (out). persevere, persist, stand fast, bear it, be resolute, soldier on, hold (one's) ground,

grin and bear it, see it through, weather it, Colloq US tough it out: It was a very hard job, but I stuck it out to the very

end. 15 stick out or up. protrude, jut (out), extend, project, poke (out); bulge, obtrude, stand out, overhang, beetle: Stick out your tongue. What is sticking out of your ear? Balconies stick out from all sides of the building. 16 stick together. a unite, unify, join (forces), consolidate, merge, confederate,

amalgamate, cooperate, work together: The family always sticks together at times of crisis. b See 5, above. 17 stick up. a

rob, mug, Colloq hold up, US heist: They stuck up a bank courier this morning, in broad daylight! b put up, post, affix, display: We went round town sticking up posters for our candidate. 18 stick up for. rally to the support of, support, stand by or up for, defend, speak for or in behalf of, take up

the cudgels for; put one's money where one's mouth is, have the courage of one's convictions: A person must stick up for what he thinks is right. 19 stick with. persevere, persist, stay or remain or continue with, not change one's mind about: Stick with me, kid, and you'll wear diamonds. I'll stick with the smoked eel as a starter.

stický n. 1 stake, twig, branch, baton, wand, staff, rod, cane, pole, pike, walking-stick: We put a stick in the ground to mark the place. 2 person, man, fellow, chap, Colloq guy, Brit geezer, bloke: Desmond isn't such a bad old stick after all. 3 the sticks. the country, the provinces, the countryside, the

unbendable, tough, solid, solidified, stiffened, unyielding, brittle: The table napkins were so stiff with starch that I almost cracked one. 2 severe, harsh, punitive, hurtful, punishing, abusive, torturous, distressing, afflictive, painful, overwhelming, unbearable, tormenting, merciless, excruciating, cruel, drastic, US cruel and unusual: The government here has stiff penalties for drug traffickers. 3 strong, potent,

powerful, overpowering, alcoholic: After that kind of an ordeal, you could use a stiff drink, I'm sure. 4 vigorous, energetic, staunch, dogged, tenacious, resolute, resolved, determined, stubborn, obstinate, unyielding, indomitable, relentless: They met with stiff opposition in trying to capture the fort. 5 strong, steady, powerful, fresh, brisk, spanking, gusty, forceful, howling: We had to reduce sail because of a stiff westerly wind. 6 excessive, exorbitant, high, steep, expensive, dear: They are asking a pretty stiff price these days for a bottle of good vintage port. 7 cool, haughty, rigid, wooden, stuffy, aloof, tense, intense, unrelaxed, forced, pompous, stilted, mannered, ceremonious, austere, formal, chilly, cold, unfriendly, standoffish, reserved, snobbish, Colloq snooty, Slang uptight: Vince is warm and friendly, but