Stead
Stead (sted) , noun
[Old English stede place, Anglo-Saxon stede; akin to LG. & Dutch stede, Old Saxon stad, stedi, Old High German stat, German statt, statte, Icelandic staer, Danish sted, Swedish stad, Gothic staþs, and English stand. r163. See Stand, and compare Staith, Stithy.]
1.
Place, or spot, in general. [Obsolete, except in composition.] — Chaucer
Fly, therefore, fly this fearful stead anon.
2.
Place or room which another had, has, or might have.
Stewards of your steads.
In stead of bounds, he a pillar set.
3.
A frame on which a bed is laid; a bedstead. [Rare]
The genial bed,
Sallow the feet, the borders, and the stead.
4.
A farmhouse and offices. [Provincial English & Scottish]
The smallest act... shall stand us in great stead.
Here thy sword can do thee little stead.
The word is now commonly used as the last part of a compound; as, farmstead, homestead, roadstead, etc.
Collocations (2)
In stead of , in place of. See Instead.
To stand in stead or To do stead , to be of use or great advantage.
Stead , transitive verb
1.
To help; to support; to benefit; to assist.
Perhaps my succour or advisement meet,
Mote stead you much your purpose to subdue.
It nothing steads us
To chide him from our eaves.
2.
To fill the place of. [Obsolete] — Shakespeare