▪ I. steadfast, a. (adv.) and n.
(ˈstɛdfɑːst, -fæst, -fəst)
Forms: 1, 3 stedefæst, 1 stydefæst, 2–5 stedefast (3 Ormin -fasst), 3 stedevast, 4 stedefaste, 3–4 studefast, 3 studevast, -vest, 4 studfaste, 4–5 stid(e)fast, stydfast(e, (4 steddfast, 5 steddefaste), 5–6 Sc. steidfast, 6–7 steedfast, 4–6 stedfaste, (5 stedfasst), 4–9 stedfast, 8– steadfast.
[OE. stędefæst, f. stęde (see stead n.) + fæst fast a. Cf. MLG. stedevast (mod.G. † stattfest), ON. staðfast-r.]
A. adj.
1. Fixed or secure in position. a. Of a person, esp. a soldier in battle: Maintaining his ground. (Now with mixture of sense 2.) † Also, of a battle: Fought without change of position.
| 993 Battle of Maldon 127 (Gr.) Stodon stædefæste: stihte hi Byrhtnoð. Ibid. 249 Ne þurfon me embe Sturmere stedefæste hæleð wordum ætwitan. 1623 Bingham Xenophon 67 Armed..sufficiently to skip vp and downe, and run away, but not to come to hands in a stedfast fight. 1821 Shelley Hellas 375 Victor myriads, formed in hollow square With rough and steadfast front. |
† b. Fixed in abode. Obs. rare.
| a 1272 Luue Ron 18 in O.E. Misc., Nis no mon iboren o lyue, Þat her may beon studeuest. |
c. Of a thing, e.g. a pillar, a foundation: Firmly fixed, not to be moved or displaced. Also in fig. context. Obs. exc. in rhetorical language (of the earth, etc.).
| c 1000 Instit. Polity x. in Thorpe Anc. Laws (1840) II. 318 note, Wislic wærscipe & steðe-fæst [sic (MS. G. styde-)] mod⁓staðol..biþ witena ᵹehwilcum weorðlicre micle. a 1225 St. Juliana 75 (Bodl. MS.) Lokið þet te heouenliche lauerd beo grund wal of al þat ȝe wurcheð, for þat stont studeuest, falle þat falle. a 1300 Cursor M. 8483 Stedefast stode þe marbel stan on ferr þe golden letters scan. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 15562 Manie skiles forþ were cast, How hit [River Douglas] mighte be mad studefast. c 1480 Henryson Mor. Fab. ii. (Town & C. Mouse) vi, Ane sillie scheill vnder ane steidfast stane. 1577 Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 148 Into that vessel they powred in milke, and set it where it might stande stedfast. 1590 P. Barrough Meth. Physick ii. x. (1639) 87 Let them sit in open aire, having a stedfast bed, and of a good height. 1625 N. Carpenter Geogr. Del. i. vii. (1635) 179 The finding out of the Centers where the sted⁓fast foot of the compasse ought to bee fixed in drawing of each circle. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 927 These Elements In mutinie had from her Axle torn The stedfast Earth. Ibid. vi. 833 Under his burning Wheeles The stedfast Empyrean shook throughout. 1781 Cowper Retirem. 534 The rising waves..Thunder and flash upon the stedfast shores. 1822–56 De Quincey Conf. Wks. 1862 I. 102 What was it?.. Earth⁓quake was it? convulsion of the steadfast earth? |
† d. Of the hands: Steady, not tremulous. Also of shooting: Steady. Obs.
| 1535 Coverdale Exod. xvii. 12 So his handes were sted⁓fast. 1541 R. Copland Guydon's Quest. Chirurg. B ij, A stedfast hande without shakynge. 1545 R. Ascham Toxoph. ii. (Arb.) 127 To make the ende compasse heauy with the fethers in fliyng, for the stedfaster shotyng. |
† e. Of a pain: Not changing its position. Obs.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. viii. lv. (1495) 268 The ache of the reynes is stable and stedfaste. |
† f. Solid; firm in substance. Obs.
| 1477 Norton Ord. Alch. iv. in Ashm. (1652) 47 Stedfast to stedfast will it selfe combinde. 1545 T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde i. xv. (1552) 43 The sede is of a more faste, compacte, and stedfaste substaunce. |
† g. Unshaken in health. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 1024 He suld in eild be ai stedfast, Sekenes suld he neuer drei. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 167 He..fauȝt wiþ hem somtyme forto make his body stedefast by use in tra[ua]ylle forto dure. |
† h. steadfast land: the mainland, as opposed to an island. Obs. [Cf. G. festland.]
| a 1470 Tiptoft Cæsar's Comm. i. (1530) 2 They also of the Isle of Britayn had no knowledge of no parte of the stedfaste londe. |
2. Of persons: Unshaken, immoveable in faith, resolution, friendship, etc. Also said of belief, purpose or affection. Occas. const. to.
| c 1200 Vices & Virtues (1888) 135 Nis ðe hierte nauht ȝiet stedefast. c 1200 Ormin 1597 Ȝiff þin heorrte iss harrd & starrc, & stedefasst o Criste. c 1220 Bestiary 374 Oc eurilc luuen oðer, also he were his broder, Wurðen stedefast his wine. c 1290 Beket 171 in S. Eng. Leg. 111 Þare was i-sene þat heo was treowe and of studefast mod! 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 2139 To serve hym and his werkes to wyrk In stedfast trouthe of haly kyrk. c 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 1227 And swore and gan hir hertely hete Ever to be stedfast and trewe. c 1450 Lovelich Merlin 12321 Stedfast sche was to hire Lord. 1472–3 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 32/2 Your true Liegeman and moost obeisaunt and stedfast Subgiet. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 8 b, Stande stedfast in the fayth & hope of god. 1535 Coverdale Prov. xii. 4 A stedfast woman is a crowne vnto hir huszbonde. 1549 Bk. Comm. Prayer, Commun. Collect, Whom thou doest bryng vp in thy stedfast loue. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 58 Huge affliction and dismay Mixt with obdurate pride and stedfast hate. 1693 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. I. 405 You shall alwayes find me stedfast to what I promise you. 1738 Wesley Psalms xxxvi. iii, Above the Clouds thy Mercies rise, Stedfast thy Truth and Faithfulness. 1837–9 Hallam Hist. Lit. II. ii. ii. §2. 59 It would have required all their stedfast faith in the arm of Providence to anticipate. 1867 Smiles Huguenots Eng. vi. (1880) 106 Elizabeth..proved herself the steadfast friend and protector of the Protestant exiles. 1895 J. Denney Stud. Theol. vi. (ed. 3) 144 It is His steadfast faithful purpose freely to impart His own character to men. |
† b. Applied to God: Unchanging. Obs.
| a 1400 Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. 3 The toþer es, þat þe heghe ffadir of Heuen es stedfaste and sothefaste Godde Almyghtyn. c 1440 Lay-Folks Mass Bk. (MS. E.) 180 In þe name of the fadur and þe sonne and þe holy goste, On stydfast [other texts sothfast] god. 1611 Bible Dan. vi. 26 For he is the liuing God, and stedfast for euer. |
† c. In bad sense: Confirmed, incorrigible. Obs.
| 1644 Milton Areop. (Arb.) 58 To be common stedfast dunce will be the only pleasant life. |
3. Of a law, a treaty, an institution, a condition of things: Firmly settled, established, unchangeable.
| 1258 Proclam. Hen. III (Ellis) 19 Stedefæst and ilestinde in alle þinge abuten ænde. c 1290 St. Dunstan 47 in S. Eng. Leg. 20 Sone he was Abbot of þe hous..He makede þare godes seruise studefast and stable i-novȝ. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 333 Þe dome of hem schulde stonde stedefast and nouȝt be i-chaunged. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 115 Seid is that he hath his aspect Upon the holi lond so cast, That there is no pes stedefast. c 1460 Osney Reg. 109 This my ȝifte that hit þe moor surer and stedfaster here⁓after may be, I maade hit in þe presente of lorde John of Constances, Archedecun. 1535 Coverdale Heb. ii. 2 For yf the worde which was spoken by angels, was stedfast, [etc.]. 1607 Dekker Sir T. Wyatt F 3 b, A stedfast silence doth possesse the place. 1742 Gray Propertius ii. 17 Who taught this vast machine its steadfast laws. 1877 E. R. Conder Basis Faith iv. 188 The stedfast regularity of phenomena tells with no doubtful significance of a corresponding permanence of the causes on which they depend. |
† b. Of a language: Settled. Obs.
| 1422 Yonge tr. Secreta Secret. 146 Lateyn is the moste stydfaste langage. |
4. Of sight, the eye (occas. of the mind): Steadily directed.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 27999 If þou..woud hir wit wordes slight, Or loked wit ouur stedfast sight [? read with MS. Galba sleghe..eghe]. c 1430 Prymer (1895) 38 Y schal make stidefast myn iȝen on þee. a 1593 Marlowe Edw. II, v. v. 2526 That euen then when I shall lose my life, My minde may be more stedfast on my God. 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 1339 The homelie villaine..blushing on her with a stedfast eye, Receaues the scroll without or yea or no. 1629 Milton Hymn Nativ. 70 The Stars with deep amaze Stand fixt in stedfast gaze. 1817 Shelley Rev. Islam i. ix, The [serpent's] neck..Sustained a crested head, which warily Shifted and glanced before the Eagle's steadfast eye. |
† 5. adv. = steadfastly. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 2874 If þou a brand þar-in [sc. into the Dead Sea] wil cast þe fire it haldes þar stedfast. 13.. Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. xlix. 87 In herte loke þou holde stedefast Þe benfet Þat þou ones hast. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. xxxvi. (Bodl. MS.), Blood is ipiȝt in þe lunges, but he is more stedefast ipight in þe herte. c 1580 Sat. Poems Reform. xliv. 92 Sathan led men steid fast be the mane. 1756 W. Toldervy Hist. 2 Orphans IV. 21 Duroy now looking more stedfast found this to be very identical only son of Sir Gilbert Goosley. 1887 Morris Odyss. xii. 437 So I held on steadfast [to the tree]. |
† B. n. The castor-oil plant, Ricinus communis.
| 1597 Gerarde Herbal Suppl., Stedfast is Palma Christi. 1665 Lovell Herbal (ed. 2) 416 Sted fast, see Palma Christi. |
▪ II. † ˈsteadfast, v. Obs.
Forms: 5 stefast, 5–6 stedfast(e.
[f. steadfast a. Cf. ON. staðfesta to give a fixed abode to (Sw. stadfästa, Da. stadfæste to confirm, establish).]
trans. To make steadfast; to confirm, establish.
| c 1450 Brut. ii. (1908) 296 King Edward..ordeyned & stefastyd þe day of þe forsaide Rounde Table to be holde þer at Wyndissore in Whitesen-wike euermore after erly. c 1450 tr. De Imitatione iii. xv. (1893) 84 He..þat sted⁓fastiþ [firmavit] all his hope in god. 1545 T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde iii. i. 110 To confirme, stedfaste, and to defende the body from noysome thynges. |