a. Forms: 6 sta(i)de, (steyed), 6–7 staied, stayd, 6–9 staid, stayed. [Adjectival use of stayed, pa. pple. of STAY v.]
1. Of beliefs, institutions, etc.: Fixed, permanent; settled, unchanging. Of a person’s gaze: Fixed, set. Now rare.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Cyrurg., Q iv. Than beholde … yf his [the lazar’s] loke be steyed and horryble [orig. aspectus fixus & horribilis].
1559. Fecknam, in Strype, Ann. Ref., App. IX. (1709), I. 24. Your Honours must observe which of bothe these is the most stayed Religion, and allwayes forthe one, and agreeable with it self.
1584. Powel, Lloyd’s Cambria, 20. This was a troublesome time and as yet no staied government established in Wales.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. iii. § 2. The variable inclination of his owne mind carryed his actions past the limits of any stayed compasse.
1863. Cowden Clarke, Shaks. Char., xvi. 393. His staid opinion.
1867. J. Macgregor, Voy. Alone (1868), 38. That staid glazy eye which a hard-worked seaman generally has.
b. Of persons: Settled in faith, purpose, etc. ? Obs.
1631. Weever, Anc. Funeral Mon., 104. So stayed in sacred resolutions as was Henry the fourth.
1812. Cary, Dante, Parad., V. 73. Be ye more staid, O Christians! not like feather, by each wind Removeable.
2. Settled in character; of grave or sedate deportment; dignified and serious in demeanor or conduct; free from flightiness or caprice.
a. of a person, his actions, attributes, etc.
1557. North, trans. Gueuara’s Diall Pr., Ded. A j. By his stayed life God hath bene glorified.
1574. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Fam. Ep. (1577), 285. A physician that is learned, wise, stayed, and of experience.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., June, 38. But ryper age such pleasures doth reproue, My fancye eke from former follies moue To stayed steps.
1620. Shelton, Don Quixote, II. xlii. 273. Hee … with a stayed voyce [orig. con reposada voz] said: I giue infinite thankes, friend Sancho, that [etc.].
1638. Bp. Mountague, Art. Enq. Norwich, B 1 b. For his person and deportment, is he [your Minister] stayed, grave, humble, modest [etc.]?
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 61, ¶ 4. Not that she is against a more stay’d Conduct in others.
1756. Wesley, Wks. (1872), II. 360. The whole congregation appeared stayed and solid.
1807. Crabbe, Par. Reg., I. 528. On widow fair and staid, He fixed his eye.
a. 1834. Lamb, Good Clerk, Misc. Wks. (1871), 386. His whole deportment is staid, modest, and civil.
1864. Tennyson, En. Arden, 112. A grave and staid God-fearing man.
Comb. 1872. C. Gibbon, For King, iii. There spoke a lover, and not a staid-minded husband.
b. of things personified, their attributes, etc.
1622. Drayton, Poly-olb., xxii. 18. Ouze hauing, Ouleney past, From her first stayder course immediately doth gad.
1632. Milton, Penseroso, 16. Ore laid with black staid Wisdoms hue.
a. 1839. Praed, Poems (1864), II. 335. Staid Order, gentle Peace, Twin-born of Justice, smiled.
c. of animals.
1618. Baret, Horsemanship, I. 13. There must be a time to reforme the will of the Horse, and after that to giue him a stayed body, and an euen carriage of the same.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., VI. 289. Thus husbandmen couple young colts with staid horses, that both together may draw the better.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., ix. A staid and quiet palfrey.
d. Characterized by or indicating sedateness.
1567. Drant, Horace, Art Poetry, A viij b. The stade Spondeus foote [spondeos stabilis].
1820. L. Hunt, Indicator, No. 19. Prudence … Humanized into Pru. We suspect that these prodigiously staid names are apt to overshoot themselves, and disgust the possessor.
1865. Le Fanu, Guy Deverell, xl. II. 169. Monsieur Varbarriere entered the staid mansion.
3. Of the intellect and intellectual operations: Sober, steady, well-regulated; free from extravagance or caprice.
1555. Hooper, in Coverdale, Lett. Martyrs (1564), 160. Such as be of a right and stayed iudgement.
a. 1568. Ascham, Scholem., II. (Arb.), 110. This exercise may bring moch profite to ripe heads, and stayd iudgementes.
1664. Flecknoe, Discourse Engl. Stage, G 6. Wit being an exuberant thing … but Judgement a stayed, and reposed thing.
a. 1676. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., I. ii. 57. Deliberation; a staid and attentive consideration of things to be known.
1870. J. Bruce, Gideon, xiv. 246. A staid and considerate understanding.
