Steadied

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To cause something to become firm, balanced, or less likely to move or fall
2. To bring stability or fix an object or person in place to prevent shaking or wobbling
3. To hold or support to maintain a steady position and reduce unsteadiness

Etymology: "Steadied" is simply the past tense of "steady," so its history is that of the root verb. The adjective "steady" comes from Middle English "stedy," "studi," and related forms, which probably continue an Old English word meaning "steadfast, stable, firm," built from "stead" (place, position) with the suffix "-y." In other words, the core idea is of something that stays in its place. That sense of standing firmly in place runs through the family. Old English also had "ġestedegian," meaning "to bring to a standstill," so the notion of halting and holding fast was already attached to the stem. Cognates across the Germanic languages, including German "stetig," Swedish "stadig," and Icelandic "stöðugur," all carry this sense of firmness or continuity.