Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Still?

\Still\, a. [Compar. {Stiller}; superl. {Stillest}.] [OE. stille, AS. stille; akin to D. stil, OS. & OHG. stilli, G. still, Dan. stille, Sw. stilla, and to E. stall; from the idea of coming to a stand, or halt. Cf. {Still}, adv.] 1. Motionless; at rest; quiet; as, to stand still; to lie or sit still. ``Still as any stone.'' --Chaucer. 2. Uttering no sound; silent; as, the audience is still; the animals are still. The sea that roared at thy command, At thy command was still. --Addison. 3. Not disturbed by noise or agitation; quiet; calm; as, a still evening; a still atmosphere. ``When all the woods are still.'' --Milton. 4. Comparatively quiet or silent; soft; gentle; low. ``A still small voice.'' --1 Kings xix. 12. 5. Constant; continual. [Obs.] By still practice learn to know thy meaning. --Shak. 6. Not effervescing; not sparkling; as, still wines. {Still life}. (Fine Arts) (a) Inanimate objects. (b) (Painting) The class or style of painting which represents inanimate objects, as fruit, flowers, dead game, etc. Syn: Quiet; calm; noiseless; serene; motionless; inert; stagnant.
\Still\, n. [Cf. G. stille.] 1. Freedom from noise; calm; silence; as, the still of midnight. [Poetic] 2. A steep hill or ascent. [Obs.] --W. Browne.
\Still\, adv. [AS. stille quietly. See {Still}, a. The modern senses come from the idea of stopping and staying still, or motionless.] 1. To this time; until and during the time now present; now no less than before; yet. It hath been anciently reported, and is still received. --Bacon. 2. In the future as now and before. Hourly joys be still upon you! --Shak. 3. In continuation by successive or repeated acts; always; ever; constantly; uniformly. The desire of fame betrays an ambitious man into indecencies that lessen his reputation; he is still afraid lest any of his actions should be thrown away in private. --Addison. Chemists would be rich if they could still do in great quantities what they have sometimes done in little. --Boyle. 4. In an increasing or additional degree; even more; -- much used with comparatives. The guilt being great, the fear doth still exceed. --Shak. 5. Notwithstanding what has been said or done; in spite of what has occured; nevertheless; -- sometimes used as a conjunction. See Synonym of {But}. As sunshine, broken in the rill, Though turned astray, is sunshine still. --Moore. 6. After that; after what is stated. In the primitive church, such as by fear being compelled to sacrifice to strange gods, after repented, and kept still the office of preaching the gospel. --Whitgift. {Still and anon}, at intervals and repeatedly; continually; ever and anon; now and then. And like the watchful minutes to the hour, Still and anon cheered up the heavy time. --Shak.
\Still\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Stilled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Stilling}.] [AS. stillan, from stille still, quiet, firm. See {Still}, a.] 1. To stop, as motion or agitation; to cause to become quiet, or comparatively quiet; to check the agitation of; as, to still the raging sea. He having a full sway over the water, had power to still and compose it, as well as to move and disturb it. --Woodward. 2. To stop, as noise; to silence. With his name the mothers still their babies. --Shak. 3. To appease; to calm; to quiet, as tumult, agitation, or excitement; as, to still the passions. --Shak. Toil that would, at least, have stilled an unquiet impulse in me. --Hawthorne. Syn: To quiet; calm; allay; lull; pacify; appease; subdue; suppress; silence; stop; check; restrain.
\Still\, n. [Cf. OE. stillatorie. See {Still}, v., to distill.] 1. A vessel, boiler, or copper used in the distillation of liquids; specifically, one used for the distillation of alcoholic liquors; a retort. The name is sometimes applied to the whole apparatus used in in vaporization and condensation. 2. A house where liquors are distilled; a distillery. {Still watcher}, a device for indicating the progress of distillation by the density of the liquid given over. --Knight.
\Still\, v. t. [Abbreviated fr. distill.] 1. To cause to fall by drops. 2. To expel spirit from by heat, or to evaporate and condense in a refrigeratory; to distill. --Tusser.
\Still\, v. i. [L. stillare. Cf. {Distill}.] To drop, or flow in drops; to distill. [Obs.] --Spenser.