different between accurate vs steady

English

Etymology

• First attested in the 1610s.
• (exactness): First attested in the 1650s.
• From Latin acc?r?tus (“done with care”), perfect past participle of acc?r? (“take care of”); from ad- (“to, towards, at”) + c?r? (“take care”), from c?ra (“care”).
• See cure.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?æk.j?.??t/, /?æk.j?.??t/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?æk.j?.??t/

Adjective

accurate (comparative more accurate, superlative most accurate)

1. Telling the truth or giving a true result; exact; not defective or faulty
2. Deviating only slightly or within acceptable limits.

3. (obsolete) Precisely fixed; executed with care; careful.

Usage notes

• We speak of a thing as correct with reference to some rule or standard of comparison; as, a correct account, a correct likeness, a man of correct deportment.
• We speak of a thing as accurate with reference to the care bestowed upon its execution, and the increased correctness to be expected therefrom; as, an accurate statement, an accurate detail of particulars.
• We speak of a thing as exact with reference to that perfected state of a thing in which there is no defect and no redundancy; as, an exact coincidence, the exact truth, an exact likeness.
• We speak of a thing as precise when we think of it as strictly conformed to some rule or model, as if cut down thereto; as a precise conformity instructions; precisely right; he was very precise in giving his directions.

Synonyms

• correct
• exact
• just
• nice
• particular

Antonyms

• inaccurate

Derived terms

• accuracy
• accurately

Translations

Anagrams

• carucate

Dutch

Pronunciation

Adjective

accurate

1. Inflected form of accuraat

Interlingua

Adjective

accurate (comparative plus accurate, superlative le plus accurate)

1. accurate

Related terms

• accuratia

Italian

Adjective

accurate f pl

1. feminine plural of accurato

Anagrams

• cacature

Latin

Etymology

From acc?r?tus (“elaborate, exact”)

Adverb

acc?r?t? (comparative acc?r?tius, superlative acc?r?tissim?)

1. carefully, precisely, exactly

Related terms

• acc?r?ti?
• acc?r?tus
• acc?r?

References

• accurate in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• accurate in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• accurate in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book?^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
• Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, 1st edition. (Oxford University Press)

English

Alternative forms

• steddy, stedy

Etymology

From Middle English stede, stedi, stidi?, from Old English stæþþi?, from stæþ (“stead, bank”); equivalent to stathe +? -y or stead +? -y. Cognate with West Frisian stadich (“slow”), Danish stedig, stadig, steeg, Swedish stadig, Icelandic stöðugur, Middle Dutch stedigh, German stätig, stetig.

Pronunciation

• enPR: st?d?i, IPA^(key): /?st?di/

Adjective

steady (comparative steadier, superlative steadiest)

1. Firm in standing or position; not tottering or shaking; fixed; firm.

   • Their feet steady, their hands diligent, their eyes watchful, and their hearts resolute.

   • Captain Edward Carlisle, soldier as he was, martinet as he was, felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, her alluring smile?; he could not tell what this prisoner might do.

2. Constant in feeling, purpose, or pursuit; not fickle, changeable, or wavering; not easily moved or persuaded to alter a purpose; resolute.
   • 2003, Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices: Inserts Only (page 10)

     During programmed changes, no steady green signal indication or flashing yellow signal indication shall be terminated and immediately followed by a steady red or flashing red signal indication without first displaying the steady yellow signal […]

3. Smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions.

4. Regular and even.

5. Slow.

Synonyms

• (firm): robust, solid, untottering
• (constant in purpose or action): dogged, staunch, unyielding; see also Thesaurus:obstinate
• (smooth, not bumpy): fluid
• (regular and even): constant, uniform, unvarying; see also Thesaurus:steady
• (slow): glacial, ponderous, stately; see also Thesaurus:slow

Antonyms

• (regular and even): unsteady; see also Thesaurus:unsteady

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

steady (third-person singular simple present steadies, present participle steadying, simple past and past participle steadied)

1. (transitive, sometimes figuratively) To stabilize; to prevent from shaking.

   I took a drink to steady my nerves.

2. (intransitive) To become stable.
   • 2010, Scott Westerfeld, Leviathan

     The ship steadied in the air. Another spray of ballast came, heavier than the last.

Translations

Noun

steady (plural steadies)

1. A rest or support, as for the hand, a tool, or a piece of work.
2. (informal) A regular boyfriend or girlfriend.
   • 2002, Frederick E. Von Burg, Keep My White Sneakers, Kit Carson, iUniverse (?ISBN), page 13:

     “Dalton is my steady, now. If I break up with him, you're the first on the list.” “Thanks,” said Ted. “What a privilege to be second choice.”

3. (informal) A prostitute's regular customer.

Adverb

steady (not comparable)

1. (rowing, informal) To row with pressure at a low stroke-rating, often 18 strokes per minute.

Further reading

• steady in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• steady in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• steady at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• stayed