English Dictionary
Definition of “unsteady”
unsteady (ʌnˈstɛdɪ
)
Definitions
adjective
- not securely fixed ⇒
an unsteady foothold
- (of behaviour, etc) lacking constancy; erratic
- without regularity ⇒
an unsteady rhythm
- (of a manner of walking, etc) precarious, staggering, as from intoxication
verb
- (tr) to make unsteady
Alternative Forms
unˈsteadily adverb unˈsteadiness noun
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
erratic,
unpredictable,
volatile,
unsettled,
wavering,
unreliable,
temperamental,
changeable,
vacillating,
flighty,
inconstant,
Translations
- British English:
unsteady
If you are unsteady, you have difficulty doing something because you cannot completely control your body.The old man was unsteady on his feet and his left hand shook.ʌnˈstɛdɪ ADJECTIVE The old man was unsteady on his feet and his left hand shook.
- Spanish:
vacilante
adj
- French:
chancelant
adj
- German:
wackelig
adj
- Chinese: 不安定的 adj
- Arabic: مُتَقَلِّب adj
- Portuguese: inseguro adj insegura
- Russian: неустойчивый adj неустойчивая
- Croatian: nepostojan adj nepostojana
- Czech: vratký adj
- Danish: vaklende adj
- Dutch: onstandvastig adj
- Finnish: epävakaa adj
- Greek: ασταθής adj
- Italian: malfermo adj malferma
- Japanese: 不安定な no_posp
- Korean: 불안정한 adj
- Norwegian: ustø adj
- Polish: niestały adj niestała
- Brazilian Portuguese: inseguro adj insegura
- European Spanish:
vacilante
adj
- Swedish: ostadig adj ostadigt
- Thai: ไม่มั่นคง adj
- Turkish: sallanan adj
- Vietnamese: không vững chắc adj
Usage examples
There was a hint in the newspaper account that his legs were unsteady.
Lewis, Roy, A Trout in the Milk (1986)Thierry ready to captain Gunners' ship A ship as unsteady as Arsenal have been in recent weeks can scarcely afford to do without a skipper.
Mail and Guardian (2004)He regained an upright stance but on unsteady legs, took the eight-count, consumed a few more shots and was pulled from the action.
Sun, News of the World (2001)She set to work by the unsteady light of her lantern, protected nightly by a praying mantis who perched on the carriage of her typewriter.
Benton, Jill, Naomi Mitchison - A Century of Experiment in Life and Letters (1990)
