I. ˈstədē, -di noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English studie, from Old French studie, estudie state of perplexity or reverie, application of the mind to the acquirement of knowledge, study, from Latin studium eagerness, application of the mind to the acquirement of knowledge, study; akin to Latin studēre to be eager, be diligent, study and probably to Latin tundere to beat — more at stint
1. : a state of absorbed contemplation, perplexity, or reverie : abstraction
paused and appeared to be in a deep study — Alexander MacDonald
the long silences that meant I was lost in study — Eve Langley
2.
a. : the application of the mental faculties to the acquisition of knowledge
is in your own power greatly to improve … by study , observation, and reflection — Earl of Chesterfield
hours of study and careful thought — Bruce Payne
years of study in school and college
b. : such application of the mind in a particular field or to a specific subject matter
scholarship … which illuminates the study of the family — Lynn White
taking up the study of history
enter upon the study of law
c.
(1) : a careful examination or analysis of a phenomenon, development, or question usually within a limited area of investigation
plunged into the study of latex — Clarence Woodbury
studies have been made of individual cases and of groups of adolescents — H.R.Douglass
— often used with under
further reductions are under study — D.D.Eisenhower
(2) : a paper or monograph in which such a study is published
these two volumes constitute the ablest study on the iron and steel industry — Current Biography
publishes studies and reports
3.
a. : a building or room furnished especially with books and devoted to study or literary pursuits
set out my typewriter in the study … to write — Worth T. Hedden
b. obsolete : the books contained in such a study or in a collection
c. obsolete : a place of learning : university , studium generale
d. : the lower level of the inner stage of an Elizabethan playhouse often used to represent an indoor scene
4.
a. obsolete : an expressed inclination : desire , interest
b. : a consciously reasoned effort : purpose , endeavor
a continuance of those favors which it will ever be my study to deserve — W.S.Gilbert
it has been the study of my life to avoid those weaknesses — Jane Austen
5.
a. : an organized branch or department of learning : subject
what are your favorite studies — G.B.Shaw
was … on the faculty of graduate studies — Edna Yost
b. : the activity or work of a student
the curriculum for graduate study — E.B.Nyquist
returning to his studies after vacation
c. : something that is the object of one's study
was pompous and wonderfully conceited, his every work and every gesture a careful study — Marcia Davenport
about the use of making this sugar … I said I made it my study — H.D.Thoreau
d. : something attracting close attention or examination usually by reason of contrast or conflict
it was quite a study to watch the faces round the table — in the struggle between good manners and amusement — Rachel Henning
a study in conflicting emotions — T.B.Costain
the whole show a study in tolerant condescension — David Driscoll
6. : one who memorizes something (as a part in a play) — usually used with a qualifying adjective
is not considered a fast study , but once he has learned a role he has it for good — H.C.Schonberg
7.
a. : an artistic production in any of the fine arts intended as a preliminary outline or especially as an experimental expression or interpretation of specific features or characteristics
a number of drawings were studies of beggars, clowns, cripples, and street musicians — Current Biography
a study in tunes, all of them beautiful and separate — Leonard Bernstein
whether dancing in dramatic roles … or studies in pure dance — Current Biography
b. : a literary work serving as an experiment or especially as an exploratory analysis or portrayal of carefully observed features of character or motivation
a particularly successful study of the type of grievance-ridden, unhappy … misfit — R.P.Fleming
a topical study of life in a wartime services canteen — Leslie Rees
a brilliantly intuitive study of war and the emotions of men in combat — Time
8. : a musical composition usually devoted entirely to a special problem of instrumental technique : étude
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: Middle English studien, from Old French estudier, from Medieval Latin studiare, from Latin studium, n., study
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to apply the mind to the acquirement of knowledge through reading and reflection, observation, or experiment
he might have studied through the literature to the mind of that century — T.S.Eliot
b. : to undertake formal study of a subject or course
studied at Manual Arts high school — Lillian de Tagle
studied with the faculty of law at the university — Current Biography
studied under him at the university — Current Biography
2. dialect
a. : to consider deeply : meditate , reflect — usually used with about
looking at the oil in the bottle and smelling it and tasting it, and studying about what it meant — H.H.Martin
b. : to deliberate something with oneself : debate
stood digging a bare big toe into the dirt and studied awhile — F.B.Gipson
— usually used with on or about
I'm studying on whether I ought to sell — Jean Stafford
3. : to consider something as one's aim : endeavor
I studied to appear calm … so as to draw him on to say more — W.H.Hudson †1922
appears to study to repress these things in his poetry — David Daiches
transitive verb
1.
a. : to read (a book or writing) in close detail often with the intent of learning for recall
was set to studying the Talmud for 15-hour stretches — Current Biography
stopped and studied a big sign in front of a large store — Irving Bacheller
b. : to learn (as a part) for playing
you could … study a speech of some dozen or 16 lines — Shakespeare
waiting in the wings studying his part
2.
a. : to apply the mind to the learning or understanding of (an area of knowledge)
learns a good deal by simply studying human nature
studies the advances in his profession every free moment
b. : to occupy oneself with the formal study of (a subject, course, or activity)
planning to study medicine
studies the violin at the conservatory
attends night school to study typing
c. : to do special reading about for a specific purpose — usually used with up
thought I knew something … because I'd studied it up in a book — Calder Willingham
3. : to make a plan for : plot , design
he studies our overthrow and generally seeks our destruction — Robert Burton
— usually used with out
works hard studying out a new system
4.
a. : to observe or analyze in detail (a phenomenon, development, or question) usually within a restricted area with a view to some action : investigate
experts study tides and ocean currents — H.M.Parshley
studying the mood of people in different quarters — Evelyn G. Cruickshanks
studying and attempting to solve the economic problem — Current Biography
b. : to examine closely to understand or determine something
each still studying the other with interest — Agnes S. Turnbull
the brakeman … took advantage of each curve to study the train — Monsanto Magazine
studied the flames as if seeking the answer … in their restive pattern — Walter O'Meara
5. : to employ thought and careful attention in
the epistle … was studied and recopied and elaborated — Anthony Trollope
6. : to pay heed to or be solicitous for (a person's feelings or convenience)
needed a home and a wife who would study his comfort — Edith Sitwell
Synonyms: see consider
III. ˈstədi, -tu̇di
Scot & dialect England
variant of stithy