Stead , v. t. 1. To
help; to support; to benefit; to assist.
Perhaps my succour or advisement meet,
Mote stead you much your purpose to subdue.
Spenser.
It nothing
steads us
To chide him from our eaves.
Shak.
2. To fill place of. [Obs.]
Shak.
Stead (?), n. [OE.
stede place, AS.
stede; akin to LG. & D. stede, OS. stad,
stedi, OHG. stat, G. statt,
stätte, Icel. staðr, Dan. sted, Sw. stad,
Goth. sta&?;s, and E. stand. √163. See Stand, and cf. Staith, Stithy.]
1. Place, or spot, in general. [Obs., except
in composition.]
Chaucer.
Fly, therefore, fly this fearful stead anon.
Spenser. 2. Place
or room which another had, has, or might have. "Stewards of your steads." Piers Plowman.
In stead of bounds, he a pillar set.
Chaucer. 3. A frame on which a bed is laid; a bedstead. [R.]
The genial bed,
Sallow the feet, the
borders, and the stead.
Dryden.
4. A farmhouse and offices.
[Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
&fist; The word is now commonly used as the last part
of a compound; as, farmstead, homestead, readstead, etc.
In stead of, in place of. See
Instead. -- To
stand in stead, or To do stead, to be of use or great advantage.
The smallest act . . . shall stand us in great stead.
Atterbury. Here thy sword can
do thee little stead.
Milton.
Hear it pronounced