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still

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Still and stíll

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Middle English stille (“motionless, stationary”), from Old English stille (“still, quiet”), from Proto-West Germanic *stillī, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)telH- (“to be silent; to be still”). Cognate with Scots stil (“still”), Saterland Frisian stil (“motionless, calm, quiet”), West Frisian stil (“quiet, still”), Dutch stil (“quiet, silent, still”), Low German still (“quiet, silent, still”), German still (“still, quiet, tranquil, silent”), Swedish stilla (“quiet, silent, peaceful”), Icelandic stilltur (“set, quiet, calm, still”). Related to stall.

(noun: Falkland Islander): Military slang, short for still a Benny, since the military had been instructed not to refer to the islanders by the derogatory term Benny (which see).

Alternative forms

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Adjective

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still (comparative stiller or more still, superlative stillest or most still)

  1. Not moving; calm.
    Synonyms: fixed, stationary, unmoving; see also Thesaurus:stationary, Thesaurus:calm
    Sit there and stay still!
    Still waters run deep.
  2. Not effervescing; not sparkling.
    Synonyms: flat, uneffervescent; see also Thesaurus:noneffervescent
    still water; still wines
  3. Uttering no sound; silent.
    Synonyms: noiseless, soundless; see also Thesaurus:silent
    • c. 1711, Joseph Addison, How are thy Servants blest, O Lord!:
      The sea that roared at thy command, / At thy command was still.
  4. (not comparable) Having the same stated quality continuously from a past time
    • 2007 January 3, Gerry Geronimo, “Unwanted weed starts to sprout from a wayward ponencia”, in Manila Standard‎[1], archived from the original on 19 July 2011:
      To follow the still President’s marching orders, all that Secretary Ronnie Puno has to do is to follow the road map laid out by Justice Azcuna in his “separate” opinion.
  5. Comparatively quiet or silent; soft; gentle; low.
    Synonyms: hushed, tranquil; see also Thesaurus:quiet
  6. (obsolete) Constant; continual.
    Synonyms: incessant, ongoing, unremitting; see also Thesaurus:continuous
  7. (botany, dated) Dormant.
    a still spore
Derived terms
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Translations
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Adverb

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still (not comparable)

  1. Without motion.
    They stood still until the guard was out of sight.
  2. (aspect) Up to a time, as in the preceding time.
    Is it still raining?   It was still raining five minutes ago.
    We’ve seen most of the sights, but we are still visiting the museum.
    I’m still not wise enough to answer that.
    Still a nascent idea in management, design thinking focuses on the customer through iterative stages.
    • 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
      It hath been anciently reported, and is still received.
    • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XV, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
      Edward Churchill still attended to his work in a hopeless mechanical manner like a sleep-walker who walks safely on a well-known round. But his Roman collar galled him, his cossack stifled him, his biretta was as uncomfortable as a merry-andrew's cap and bells.
    • 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page vii:
      Hepaticology, outside the temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere, still lies deep in the shadow cast by that ultimate "closet taxonomist," Franz Stephani—a ghost whose shadow falls over us all.
    • 2013 June 1, “A better waterworks”, in The Economist‎[2], volume 407, number 8838, page 5 (Technology Quarterly):
      An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine.
  3. (degree) To an even greater degree. Used to modify comparative adjectives or adverbs.
    Tom is tall; Dick is taller; Harry is still taller / Harry is taller still.
  5. (conjunctive) Nevertheless.
    I’m not hungry, but I’ll still manage to find room for dessert.
    Yeah, but still...
    She'd been here many times before, it was true. Still, she held out some hope.
  6. (archaic, poetic) Always; invariably; constantly; continuously.
    • c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], lines 201–202:
      Lechery, lechery, still wars and lechery; nothing else holds fashion.
    • 1661, Robert Boyle, “[Two Essays, Concerning the Unsuccessfulness of Experiments, Containing Divers Admonitions and Observations (Chiefly Chymical) Touching that Subject.] The Second Essay, of Un-succeeding Experiments.”, in Certain Physiological Essays and Other Tracts; […], 2nd edition, London: […] Henry Herringman […], published 1669, →OCLC, page 78:
      [W]hereas many Chymiſts vvould be vaſtly rich, if they could ſtill do in great Quantities vvhat they have ſometimes done in little ones, many have undone themſelves by obſtinately attempting to make even real Experiments more gainful.
    • 1712 January 2 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “SATURDAY, December 22, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 255; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume III, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
      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.
      The spelling has been modernized.
    • 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XLI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 64:
      I vex my heart with fancies dim:
      ⁠He still outstript me in the race;
      ⁠It was but unity of place
      That made me dream I rank’d with him.
  7. (extensive) Even, yet.
    Some dogs howl; more yelp; still more bark.
    • 2013 July-August, Sarah Glaz, “Ode to Prime Numbers”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:
      Some poems, echoing the purpose of early poetic treatises on scientific principles, attempt to elucidate the mathematical concepts that underlie prime numbers. Others play with primes’ cultural associations. Still others derive their structure from mathematical patterns involving primes.
  8. Alternative spelling of styll.
    • 2022, Moses McKenzie, An Olive Grove in Ends‎[5]:
      'Yeah yeah, I'm good still, Stace,' I said.
    • 2022 June 2, Gabrielle Wood, 16:17 from the start, in Teddy Nygh, director, PRU (1), episode 2 (TV), spoken by Halil (Jay Ersavas):
      HALIL: I can't lie, I didn't expect it from you, man, still!
Synonyms
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Derived terms
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Translations
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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Noun

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still (plural stills)

  1. A period of calm or silence.
    the still of the night
    • 1901, Good Words, volume 42, page 7:
      Between the roar of the thunder and the blatter of the rain there were intervals of an astounding still, of an ominous suspense […]
    • 1983 May, Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson, “Flight of Icarus”, in Piece of Mind, performed by Iron Maiden:
      As the ground warms, to the first rays of light, / A birdsong shatters the still.
  2. (photography) A photograph, as opposed to movie footage.
    1. (cinematography) A single frame from a film.
      • 1958 February, David Gunston, “Railways on the Screen”, in Railway Magazine, page 87:
        One of his best stories was "Barney Oldfield's Race for a Life" (1914), of which there survives only an amusing still, showing poor Mabel Normand chained to the rails by two toughs, the moustached villain threatening her with a sledge-hammer, and an awful sense of that inexorably approaching express!
  3. (slang) A resident of the Falkland Islands.
Synonyms
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Derived terms
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Translations
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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

See also

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Etymology 2

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Via Middle English stillen, clip of distillen; Old French distiller; Latin distillare, from dis- + stillare, from Latin stilla.

Noun

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still (plural stills)

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
  2. A device for distilling liquids.
  3. (catering) A large water boiler used to make tea and coffee.
  4. (catering) The area in a restaurant used to make tea and coffee, separate from the main kitchen.
  5. A building where liquors are distilled; a distillery.
Derived terms
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Translations
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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
See also
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Etymology 3

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    Inherited from Old English stillan.

    Verb

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    still (third-person singular simple present stills, present participle stilling, simple past and past participle stilled)

    1. To calm down, to quiet.
      to still the raging sea
      • 1695, John Woodward, An essay toward a natural history of the earth and terrestrial bodies, especially minerals, page 139:
        They likewise believed that he, having a full Sway and Command over the Water, had Power to still and compose it, as well as to move and disturb it […]
      • c. 1591, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, part 1, act 2, scene 3:
        Is this the scourge of France? / Is this the Talbot, so much fear'd abroad / That with his name the mothers still their babes?
      • 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter:
        […] withholding myself from toil that would, at least, have stilled an unquiet impulse in me.
      • 1980, Robert Dougall, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 379:
        Near the pond was the ducking-stool where many a village scold had her tongue temporarily stilled.
    Synonyms
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    Translations
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    Etymology 4

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    Aphetic form of distil, or from Latin stillare.

    Verb

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    still (third-person singular simple present stills, present participle stilling, simple past and past participle stilled)

    1. (obsolete) To trickle, drip.
      • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, book III, canto ii, paragraph xxix:
        And if that any drop of slombring rest / Did chaunce to still into her wearie spright,
    2. To cause to fall by drops.
    3. To expel spirit from by heat, or to evaporate and condense in a refrigeratory; to distill.
      • 1557 February 13 (Gregorian calendar), Thomas Tusser, A Hundreth Good Pointes of Husbandrie, London: […] Richard Tottel, →OCLC; republished London: […] Robert Triphook, […], and William Sancho, […], 1810, →OCLC:
        The knowledge of stilling is one pretty feat,
        The waters be wholesome, the charges not great
    Derived terms
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    Translations
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    Anagrams

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    German

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    Etymology

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    From Middle High German stille, from Old High German stilli, from Proto-West Germanic *stillī.

    Pronunciation

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    Adjective

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    still (strong nominative masculine singular stiller, comparative stiller, superlative am stillsten)

    1. quiet, silent
      stiller Alarm. ― silent alarm.
    2. without carbonation, flat
      Stilles Mineralwasser.

    Declension

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    Positive forms of still
    number & gender singular plural
    masculine feminine neuter
    predicative er ist still sie ist still es ist still sie sind still
    strong declension
    (without article)     		nominative stiller stille stilles stille
    genitive stillen stiller stillen stiller
    dative stillem stiller stillem stillen
    accusative stillen stille stilles stille
    weak declension
    (with definite article)     		nominative der stille die stille das stille die stillen
    genitive des stillen der stillen des stillen der stillen
    dative dem stillen der stillen dem stillen den stillen
    accusative den stillen die stille das stille die stillen
    mixed declension
    (with indefinite article)     		nominative ein stiller eine stille ein stilles (keine) stillen
    genitive eines stillen einer stillen eines stillen (keiner) stillen
    dative einem stillen einer stillen einem stillen (keinen) stillen
    accusative einen stillen eine stille ein stilles (keine) stillen
    Comparative forms of still
    number & gender singular plural
    masculine feminine neuter
    predicative er ist stiller sie ist stiller es ist stiller sie sind stiller
    strong declension
    (without article)     		nominative stillerer stillere stilleres stillere
    genitive stilleren stillerer stilleren stillerer
    dative stillerem stillerer stillerem stilleren
    accusative stilleren stillere stilleres stillere
    weak declension
    (with definite article)     		nominative der stillere die stillere das stillere die stilleren
    genitive des stilleren der stilleren des stilleren der stilleren
    dative dem stilleren der stilleren dem stilleren den stilleren
    accusative den stilleren die stillere das stillere die stilleren
    mixed declension
    (with indefinite article)     		nominative ein stillerer eine stillere ein stilleres (keine) stilleren
    genitive eines stilleren einer stilleren eines stilleren (keiner) stilleren
    dative einem stilleren einer stilleren einem stilleren (keinen) stilleren
    accusative einen stilleren eine stillere ein stilleres (keine) stilleren
    Superlative forms of still
    number & gender singular plural
    masculine feminine neuter
    predicative er ist am stillsten sie ist am stillsten es ist am stillsten sie sind am stillsten
    strong declension
    (without article)     		nominative stillster stillste stillstes stillste
    genitive stillsten stillster stillsten stillster
    dative stillstem stillster stillstem stillsten
    accusative stillsten stillste stillstes stillste
    weak declension
    (with definite article)     		nominative der stillste die stillste das stillste die stillsten
    genitive des stillsten der stillsten des stillsten der stillsten
    dative dem stillsten der stillsten dem stillsten den stillsten
    accusative den stillsten die stillste das stillste die stillsten
    mixed declension
    (with indefinite article)     		nominative ein stillster eine stillste ein stillstes (keine) stillsten
    genitive eines stillsten einer stillsten eines stillsten (keiner) stillsten
    dative einem stillsten einer stillsten einem stillsten (keinen) stillsten
    accusative einen stillsten eine stillste ein stillstes (keine) stillsten

    Adverb

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    still

    1. quietly, silently

    Further reading

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    • “still” in Duden online
    • “still”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎[6] (in German)

    Hunsrik

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    Pronunciation

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    • IPA(key): /ˈʃtil/
    • Rhymes: -il
    • Syllabification: still

    Adjective

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    still

    1. quiet, silent

    Further reading

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    Norwegian Bokmål

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    Pronunciation

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    Verb

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    still

    1. imperative of stille
      Still deg i køen.
      Go stand in the queue.

    Norwegian Nynorsk

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    Etymology 1

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    Verb

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    still

    1. imperative of stilla

    Etymology 2

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    Adjective

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    still (masculine and feminine still, neuter stilt, definite singular and plural stille, comparative stillare, indefinite superlative stillast, definite superlative stillaste)

    1. alternative form of stille

    Spanish

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    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    still m (plural stills)

    1. (photography) still

    Swedish

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    Etymology

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    Alternative form of stilla.

    Adverb

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    still (not comparable)

    1. still
      barnet kan inte sitta still
      the child can't sit still

    References

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    Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=still&oldid=93442614"