still

pronunciation

How to pronounce still in British English: UK [stɪl] word uk audio image

How to pronounce still in American English: US [stɪl] word us audio image

Noun:

a static photograph (especially one taken from a movie and used for advertising purposes)
(poetic) tranquil silence
an apparatus used for the distillation of liquids; consists of a vessel in which a substance is vaporized by heat and a condenser where the vapor is condensed
a plant and works where alcoholic drinks are made by distillation
Verb:

make calm or still
cause to be quiet or not talk
lessen the intensity of or calm
make motionless
Adjective:

not in physical motion
marked by absence of sound
free from disturbance
used of pictures; of a single or static photograph not presented so as to create the illusion of motion; or representing objects not capable of motion
not sparkling
free from noticeable current
Adverb:

with reference to action or condition; without change, interruption, or cessation
despite anything to the contrary (usually following a concession)
to a greater degree or extent; used with comparisons
without moving or making a sound

Word Origin

still: still: The adjective still ‘not moving’ [OE] comes from a prehistoric West Germanic *stillja or *stellja, which also produced German still and Dutch stil. It was derived from the base *stel- ‘fixed, not moving, standing’ (a variant of which lies behind English stalemate and stall). It was used as an adverb in the Old English period, denoting ‘not changing physical position’, and this gradually evolved metaphorically via ‘never changing or stopping, always’ to (in the 16th century) ‘until now’.The noun still ‘distilling apparatus’ [16] is of course a different word. It comes from the now defunct verb still ‘distil’. This was short for distil [14], which came from Latin distillāre, a derivative ultimately of the noun stilla ‘drop’ (source also of English instil [16]).=> stalemate, stall; distil, instil

still (adj.): Old English stille "motionless, stable, fixed, stationary," from Proto-Germanic *stilli- (cognates: Old Frisian, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch stille, Dutch stil, Old High German stilli, German still), from PIE root *stel- "to put, stand," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place (see stall (n.1)). Meaning "quiet, calm, gentle, silent" emerged in later Old English. Euphemistic for "dead" in stillborn, etc. Still small voice is from KJV: And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. [1 Kings 19:11-13] Used as a conjunction from 1722.

still (n.1): "distilling apparatus," 1530s, from Middle English stillen "to distill" (c. 1300), a variant of distillen (see distill).

still (v.): Old English stillan "to be still, have rest; to quiet, calm, appease; to stop, restrain," from stille "at rest" (see still (adj.)). Cognate with Old Saxon stillian, Old Norse stilla, Dutch, Old High German, German stillen. Related: Stilled; stilling.

still (n.2): c. 1200, "a calm," from still (adj.). Sense of "quietness, the silent part" is from c. 1600 (in still of the night). Meaning "a photograph" (as distinguished from a motion picture) is attested from 1916.

still (adv.): "even now, even then, yet" (as in still standing there), 1530s, from still (adj.) in the sense "without change or cessation, continual" (c. 1300); the sense of "even, yet" (as in still more) is from 1730.