steady

steady hand on the tiller

Full control over a situation. I felt comfortable knowing that even during this difficult time, he had a steady hand on the tiller.

steady the ship

1. To steer a ship so that it sails smoothly. I'm really glad they've steadied the ship—those waves were making me so nauseous!

2. By extension, to restore calm and order to a situation. I just recently got divorced, so I hope my mother moving in and helping with the kids will steady the ship. We just hired a new supervisor to steady the ship after this merger.

steady as she goes

Describing someone or something that is progressing in a stable manner. This nautical phrase was originally used in reference to a ship that was sailing steadily. (Ships were traditionally assigned the female gender.) A: "How's your new business coming along?" B: "Steady as she goes! We expect to break even the first year and then start making a profit." In the midst of all this social upheaval, I hope our government can stay steady-as-she-goes.

go with someone

and go steady with someone

to have a romantic relationship with someone. (Go steady is dated.) Sally has been going with Mark for two months now. He wants to go steady with her. He doesn't want her to see other guys.

go with (someone or something)

to depart in the company of someone or a group. Jim's not here. He went with the last busload. I'm leaving now. Do you want to go with?

go with something

1. Lit. to accompany something agreeably. Milk doesn't go with grapefruit. Pink doesn't go with orange.

2. Fig. to choose something (over something else). I think I'll go with the yellow one. We decided to go with the oak table rather than the walnut one.

slow and steady wins the race

Prov. If you work slowly but constantly, you will succeed better than if you work fast for a short while and do not continue. (Associated with Aesop's fable of "The Tortoise and the Hare.") Joy only had a little bit of time to spend sewing every day, but she worked steadily and soon had finished a beautiful quilt. Slow and steady wins the race.

slow but sure

and slowly but surely

slow but unstoppable. Bob's progress on his novel was slow but sure. Nancy is finishing the paint job on her house, slowly but surely.

*steady as a rock

Cliché very steady and unmovable; very stable. (*Also: as ~.) His hand was steady as a rock as he made each incision. You must remain as steady as a rock when you are arguing with your supervisor.

a firm/steady hand on the tiller

if someone has a firm hand on the tiller, they have a lot of control over a situation

Usage notes: A tiller is a long handle which is used to control the direction a boat travels.

What people want is a president with a firm hand on the tiller.

go steady

Date one person exclusively, as in Parents often don't approve of their children's decision to go steady. This usage may be obsolescent. [Slang; c. 1900] Also see go together, def. 2; go with, def. 1.

go with

1. Also, go out with. Accompany; also, date regularly. For example, When I leave, do you want to go with me? or Jerry has been going out with Frieda for two years. [Mid-1500s]

2. Be associated with, as in His accent goes with his background. [c. 1600]

3. Take the side of someone, as in I'll go with you in defending his right to speak freely. [Mid-1400s] Also see go along, def. 2.

4. Also, go well with. Look good with, match. For example, This chair goes well with the rest of the furniture, or That color doesn't go with the curtains. [Early 1700]

slow but sure

Gradual or plodding but certain to finish, as in Slow but sure this book's getting written. This idiom was first recorded in 1562, although the idea is much older. A related phrase appears in the proverb slow and steady wins the race, which is the moral of Aesop's fable about the race between a tortoise and a hare, which stopped to nap during the race and therefore lost.

steady as a rock

Firm, dependable, as in Betty always knows her part; she's steady as a rock. This simile uses rock in the sense of "something that affords a sure support," a usage dating from the early 1500s.

go with

1. To proceed in the company of someone or something: I'll go with you to the supermarket if we also stop by the ice cream shop.

2. To select or choose something: We decided to go with the pink wallpaper, even though it doesn't match our carpet.

3. To be matched or suited to something; belong with something: The big lid goes with the stock pot. These shoes will go nicely with my red dress. This wine goes well with spicy food.

4. To be a secondary effect of being something or some way: The risk of injury goes with being a firefighter. I enjoyed being a politician and especially all the privileges that went with it. There are many health problems that go with obesity.

5. To combine with something so that a balanced or harmonious result is achieved. Used chiefly in the infinitive: The museum hosted a series of lectures to go with the art exhibit. I made a sauce to go with the meat.

6. To be in a romantic relationship with someone: Mary started going with Bill after she broke up with her boyfriend.

steady

n. a boyfriend or girlfriend. She showed up with Tom, her steady for the past few months.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
ÉRiu	-	Irish Mythology
Chelsie	CHEL-see	English (Modern)
Varlaam	-	Russian
Krystelle	-	English (Rare)
Abdulah	-	Bosnian
Patricia	pə-TRISH-ə (English), pah-TREE-thyah (Spanish), pah-TREE-syah (Latin American Spanish), pah-TREE-tsee-ah (German)	English, Spanish, German, Late Roman