stead

  1. Noun.  (obsolete) A place, or spot, in general. (defdate, 10th-16th c.) .
  2. Noun.  (obsolete) A place where a person normally rests; a seat. (defdate, 10th-18th c.) .
  3. Noun.  (obsolete) A specific place or point on a body or other surface. (defdate, 11th-15th c.) .
  4. Noun.  (obsolete) An inhabited place; a settlement, city, town etc. (defdate, 13th-16th c.) .
  5. Noun.  (obsolete) An estate, a property with its grounds; a farm. (defdate, 14th-19th c.) .
  6. Noun.  (obsolete) The frame on which a bed is laid; a bedstead. (defdate, 15th-19th c.) .
  7. Noun.  (context, in phrases) The position or function (of someone or something), as taken on by a successor. (defdate, from 15th c.) .
  8. Noun.  Figuratively, an emotional or circumstantial "place" having specified advantages, qualities etc. (now only in phrases). (defdate, from 15th c.) .
  9. Verb.  To help; to support; to benefit; to assist.
  10. Verb.  To fill place of.

This is an unmodified, but possibly outdated, definition from Wiktionary and used here under the Creative Commons license. Wiktionary is a great resource. If you like it too, please donate to Wikimedia.

This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.