Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - steady

~1 adj 1 »NOT MOVING« firmly held in a particular position and not moving or shaking  (Keep the camera steady while you take a picture. | a steady hand)  (You need a steady hand for such a delicate job.) 2 »CONTINUOUS« moving, happening, or developing in a continuous gradual way  (a steady decline in manufacturing output | Paul has made steady progress this year. | a steady stream of visitors/enquiries etc)  (a steady stream of East Germans making their way through the new gap in the wall) 3 »NOT CHANGING« a steady level, speed etc stays about the same  (We were driving at a steady 60 mph.) 4 »PERSON« someone who is steady is sensible and you can depend on them  (a steady worker) 5 steady job/work/income a job or work that will definitely continue over a long period of time 6 steady boyfriend/girlfriend someone that you have been having a romantic relationship with 7 steady relationship a serious and strong relationship that continues for a long time - steadily adv - steadiness n ~2 v 1 to hold something steady or make it steady  (steady yourself (=get back your balance in order to prevent yourself from falling))  (He tried to steady himself by grabbing the tree.) 2 to stop increasing or decreasing and remain about the same  (The dollar has steadied after early losses on the money markets.) 3 steady your nerves to make yourself calm  (She had a brandy to steady her nerves.) ~3 adv go steady (with sb) to have a long regular romantic relationship with a boyfriend or girlfriend ~4 n AmE informal a boyfriend or girlfriend that someone has been having a romantic relationship with  (Jill is Ray's steady.) ~5 interjection BrE informal 1 used when you want to tell someone to be careful or not to cause an accident  (Steady! You nearly knocked me over.) 2 Steady on! used when you think that what someone is saying is too strong or extreme  (Steady on! Derek's not that bad.)