adj. & n.
adj. (solider, solidest) 1 firm and stable in shape; not liquid or fluid (solid food; water becomes solid at 0øC). 2 of such material throughout, not hollow or containing cavities (a solid sphere). 3 of the same substance throughout (solid silver). 4 of strong material or construction or build, not flimsy or slender etc. 5 a having three dimensions. b concerned with solids (solid geometry). 6 a sound and reliable; genuine (solid arguments). b staunch and dependable (a solid Tory). 7 sound but without any special flair etc. (a solid piece of work). 8 financially sound. 9 (of time) uninterrupted, continuous (spend four solid hours on it). 10 a unanimous, undivided (support has been pretty solid so far). b (foll. by for) united in favour of. 11 (of printing) without spaces between the lines etc. 12 (of a tyre) without a central air space. 13 (foll. by with) US colloq. on good terms. 14 Austral. & NZ colloq. severe, unreasonable.
n. 1 a solid substance or body. 2 (in pl.) solid food. 3 Geom. a body or magnitude having three dimensions. solid angle an angle formed by planes etc. meeting at a point. solid colour colour covering the whole of an object, without a pattern etc. solid-drawn (of a tube etc.) pressed or drawn out from a solid bar of metal. solid solution solid material containing one substance uniformly distributed in another. solid state the state of matter that retains its boundaries without support. solid-state adj. using the electronic properties of solids (e.g. a semiconductor) to replace those of valves. solidly adv. solidness n.
[ ME f. OF solide f. L solidus, rel. to salvus safe, sollus entire ]