stead

[sted] /stɛd/

noun

the place of a person or thing as occupied by a successor or substitute:

The nephew of the queen came in her stead.

Obsolete. a place or locality.

verb (used with object)

to be of service, advantage, or avail to.

Idioms

stand in good stead, to be useful to, especially in a critical situation:

Your experience will stand you in good stead.

Origin

before 900; (noun) Middle English, Old English stede; cognate with German Stätte place; akin to German Stadt, Old Norse stathr, Gothic staths, Greek stásis (see stasis); (v.) Middle English steden, derivative of the noun

Examples from the web for stead

stead has taken up the role of an agricultural benefactor.
They have had to be, and it may stand them in good stead now.
Move over silicone implants, here comes the real thing in your stead.
Both positions should serve him in good stead in his new job.
His past experience as central-bank governor and, briefly, prime minister should stand him in good stead.
Money transfer without strings are always distorting in stead of helping.
Of course, these interests would stand him in good stead.
Moderation, self-control, and thinking are going to stand us in good stead.
Likewise, mom's advice to eat your fruits and vegetables stands your brain in good stead.
It served me and countless other underprivileged students in good stead, and even compelled us to budget our time more wisely.

British Dictionary definitions for stead

stead

/stɛd/

noun

(preceded by in) (rare) the place, function, or position that should be taken by another: to come in someone's stead

stand someone in good stead, to be useful or of good service to (someone)

verb

(transitive) (archaic) to help or benefit

Word Origin

Old English stede; related to Old Norse stathr place, Old High German stat place, Latin statiō a standing, statim immediately

Stead

/stɛd/

noun

Christina (Ellen). 1902–83, Australian novelist. Her works include Seven Poor Men of Sydney (1934), The Man who Loved Children (1940), and Cotters' England (1966)

Word Origin and History for stead

Old English stede "place, position, standing, delay," related to standan "to stand," from Proto-Germanic *stadiz (cf. Old Saxon stedi, Old Norse staðr, Swedish stad, Dutch stede "place," Old High German stat, German Stadt "town," Gothic staþs "place"), from PIE *stetis-, from root *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Now chiefly in compounds or phrases. "The sense 'town, city' for G. Stadt is a late development from c.1200 when the term began to replace Burg" [Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names].

Idioms and Phrases with stead

stead

see:

also see under:

instead