I. adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a constant/steady rate
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The process takes place at a constant rate.
a constant/steady speed
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The disc revolves at a constant speed.
a constant/steady/regular supply
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For dairy farming, a constant supply of lush grass is essential.
a continuous/steady improvement (= happening slowly and gradually )
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The following two seasons saw a steady improvement in the team's performance.
a serious/steady relationship (= one that lasts quite a long time )
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It was his first serious relationship.
a steady expansion
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There has been a steady expansion of the self-employed sector of the economy.
a steady gaze (= a look in which you do not look away )
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Jess felt embarrassed under his steady gaze.
a steady job (= a job that is likely to continue )
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I haven’t had a steady job since last March.
a steady pace
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The economy was growing at a slow but steady pace.
calm/steady sb's nerves (= make someone feel less worried or nervous )
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She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves.
gradual/steady erosion
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There has been a steady erosion of the court's powers over the last ten years.
held steady
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Since then, the pound has held steady against the dollar.
steady flow
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There has been a steady flow of people leaving the area.
steady girlfriend (= one you have a long relationship with )
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I didn’t have a steady girlfriend .
steady state theory
steady
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Steady progress has been made towards our objectives.
steady (= happening slowly but continuously )
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The university has benefited from a steady increase in student numbers.
steady
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Japanese banks have been hit hard by the rise in interest rates.
steady
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The business has a history of steady growth.
steady/constant/endless etc stream
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A steady stream of visitors came to the house.
steady/progressive (= gradual but continuous )
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There has been a steady decline in club membership.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
fairly
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The next four decades saw a slow but fairly steady erosion of royal power.
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During the summer months our casual trade has been fairly steady and a number of these casuals are now regular customers.
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The recovery had been, though slow, from its inception, fairly steady .
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Little passage is recorded in the spring, although there is fairly steady decline in the winter flocks after February.
very
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After that Jack gave up the skiing altogether and I took it very steady .
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The first year at university I had a very steady boyfriend who was doing a similar course as me but mechanical engineering.
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The artists need a very steady hand.
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This was not very steady and the model fell over.
■ NOUN
boyfriend
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In any case, life was much too enjoyable to think about steady boyfriends .
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The first year at university I had a very steady boyfriend who was doing a similar course as me but mechanical engineering.
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It would have to be with a steady boyfriend .
decline
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This trend reflects a steady decline in the teenage marriage rate since 1970.
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Despite increases in yield per acre, that has led to a steady decline in the amount of dates harvested.
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Southend's year has shown steady decline .
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Television has contributed to the steady decline of solemnity in the courtroom.
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There is no sign given of the possible collapse or steady decline in the fortunes of these economies.
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The study also notes a steady decline in the number of college students taking political science courses or enrolling in law schools.
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Smoking is on a steady decline among both men and women - but men pack up at a faster rate than women.
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Ever since then his popularity here has continued a slow, steady decline .
diet
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He'd been brought up on a steady diet of blood, sweat and tears and Douglas Bader.
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But a steady diet of soft, sugary foods will only make matters worse.
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No normal man would have lived to Wilson's age on a steady diet of those things.
flow
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Her relationship with Meirion was crucial, too, for ensuring the steady flow of garments from Carno to London.
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How else can members of Congress assume a steady flow of campaign contributions?
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So prices are inflated and will remain so until there is a steady flow of imported goods.
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We joined the steady flow of couples returning to the Barre cars.
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And 5 months on, there's a steady flow of orders.
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Now he had made it bleed again, a steady flow of drops falling on to his trousers.
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A steady flow of oxygenated water can be maintained by an air stream in the uplift attached to a filter plate.
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In order to provide a comprehensive service we need a steady flow of information to us.
gaze
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Usually Sara saw him as a bronzed, athletic man with a steady gaze , manly features and narrow hips.
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He will look you squarely in the eye, with a steady gaze .
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Now the slow burn of his steady gaze awakened feelings within her which were scary.
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Jess felt embarrassed under his steady gaze .
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As she felt the pressure of his steady gaze she lost her sense of authority and began to feel awkward and girlish.
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For a few seconds she found her eyes trapped in that unnervingly steady gaze .
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He flinched but withstood the glare and held Lee's steady gaze .
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She allowed her steady gaze to flicker from the glass which she had been holding firm.
girlfriend
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Now at 16 Steven has a steady girlfriend of 15, who he has been going out with for several months.
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Then, he started getting interested in banger-racing and got a steady girlfriend .
growth
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They had witnessed a steady growth in circulation and were well satisfied with their achievements, even hopeful that things would improve.
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In recent years there has been a steady growth in the use of tribunals to deal with legal disputes rather than courts.
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And that slow but steady growth rate upsets some politicians.
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The business may have a history of steady growth .
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But especially in the past half-dozen years, flavored mustards have shown steady growth .
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However, the steady growth of electronic markets provides an important context for the longer term growth of handheld media.
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Figure 9.1 shows a steady growth in money and real terms.
hand
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Dyson picked up the table-lighter, and with an absolutely steady hand lit the cigarette.
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He found he had such a steady hand with his safety razor that he was prepared to go all the way.
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This is still a job for scissors and a steady hand .
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Gluing toothpicks takes a steady hand and a lot of patience, Sanchez said.
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She has any eye for detail and a steady hand to piece it all together.
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Good binoculars and a steady hand may reveal it as a thin crescent.
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The patience, care and steady hand of Charles was an inspiration and all were impressed by his results.
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The artists need a very steady hand .
improvement
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The next decade should be one of consolidation a d steady improvement .
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A second evaluation, in March 1994, reflected these slow and steady improvements .
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The steady improvement of roads and the general increase in commerce helped boost cart traffic.
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His career has shown a steady improvement , and he has no bad habits that would inevitably lead to a falloff.
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He made steady improvement and was discharged 12 days after admission.
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The second and third weeks saw a steady improvement .
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From 1945 onwards there were steady improvements in magnetic tape.
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There were signs of steady improvement .
income
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Probably the greatest number were always corn mills, those more distant being used to provide a steady income .
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Maybe you are heading toward retirement and therefore need investments that can provide you with a steady income .
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A steady income stream is required to meet the costs of the syndicated lending department.
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The more steady income , the more stable the return even as markets fall.
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The only ones with a steady income were teachers, storekeepers and local officials.
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Installment arrangements work best when the taxpayer has a steady income .
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And we receive a steady income from interest on Third World debts.
increase
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By 1972, that figure had doubled to over 120,000 offences and since then there has been a steady increase .
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That steady increase can take them several miles down into the crust.
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Military returns had reported a steady increase in venereal infection among the men since the 1820s.
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Unit costs were down and cash flow up, providing a steady increase in the gainsharing payout to employees.
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The application of nuclear and radiation physics sees a steady increase in the number of titles.
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It shows steady increases in accidents with injuries, as traffic volumes mounted.
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This trend is partly accounted for by the steady increase in cohabitation.
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However the statistics are compiled, an examination of local government expenditure shows a steady increase over the years.
job
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She chooses whatever is available, probably a slightly older man with no more money but a steady job .
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But the number of steady jobs has dwindled, and it is unlikely that time by itself will improve the picture.
pace
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As long as you go at a slow, steady pace , the job can be done and you none the wiser.
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Louis: Regional economy is growing at a slow-but-steady pace .
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They had been trying to maintain a steady pace , between hopping and running, and it had come hard.
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Huntsville continues to build its high-tech infrastructure and should add jobs in that sector at a steady pace .
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It was impossible to hurry but they moved at a steady pace , pausing seldom.
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You go to work and toil at a hard, steady pace all day, accomplishing as much as you can?
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The rhythm of the cart, moving once more at a steady pace , rocked the kaleidoscope of memory.
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Recent surveys show that charity donations maintain a steady pace and that some giving to some charities by some people is increasing.
progress
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We are making steady progress , of which the country should be proud.
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Hooker, operating against inferior numbers, made steady progress .
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Even in these circumstances we still expect to make steady progress in 1993.
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As they worked with him, he made slow and steady progress .
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Mr. Waldegrave I believe that steady progress is being made, as my hon. Friend says.
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Over the years, researchers made steady progress , creating ever quicker and more sophisticated programs.
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All the Fire Protection branches made steady progress .
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We are, as I just mentioned, close to that goal and making steady progress toward it.
rain
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The weather had changed to cold, steady rain .
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But the Friday round, during which a steady rain fell unceasingly, was a different matter.
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Piles of fallen leaves carpeted the forest floor with gold, and the stillness was broken only by the steady rain .
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They coped well with steady rain making me question the need for overtrousers in milder seasons.
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Water resistance: steady rain will penetrate but the fabric holds its own against light drizzle and dries out quickly after showers.
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His chances of defending a frail total of 226 slipped away with the steady rain that fell for the last two hours.
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A steady rain began to fall.
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Water resistance: held off light showers well, though steady rain will penetrate.
rate
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When the satellite is busy messages queue up and are sent out at a steady rate .
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Larger families around us were being rehoused at a steady rate , but we were doomed to wait for ever.
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If the reconnection were to take place at a steady rate , the ion energy would show a continuous latitudinal dispersion.
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The steady rate of pregnancy among wild females, however, attests to the efficiency of the system.
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It continued at an almost steady rate until January 1964, when the situation stabilized.
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The steel tracks ground along at a steady rate , flattening glorious highly-finned autos, scattering pedestrians and levelling lampposts.
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They would be sending out radiation and particles at a steady rate .
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Glottochronology is a technique developed for spoken languages which has a basic assumption that languages change at a relatively steady rate .
relationship
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The highest earners have the most confidence in themselves, while those currently without a steady relationship are relatively lacking in confidence.
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Half are married or in steady relationships .
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But what of courses which do not have such a steady relationship ?
rhythm
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The steady rhythm of numbers is immensely calming.
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The swamp cooler beats a steady rhythm , trying its best to tame the stuffy air.
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For a while this procedure worked quite well, and we began to develop a steady rhythm .
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Her heart faltered, then resumed its steady rhythm .
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The slow, steady rhythm was pulsing in her veins.
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I listened to my feet making a steady rhythm on the paved stones, as regular as a pulse beat.
rise
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Invisible receipts from tourism have shown a steady rise over recent years from 2.97 billion in 1981.
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All groups have shown a steady rise over the 1977 to 1986 period.
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There are forecasters who reject the picture of a steady rise in the euro against the dollar.
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A steady rise in teenage pregnancies suggests teenagers are not using contraceptives.
state
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It is believed that organisms soon adapt to microgravity and establish a new biological steady state .
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At any given dosage, 2-4 days are required to reach steady state .
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First, fluoridation will raise the average steady state or plateau level of ionic fluoride in the blood throughout the total population.
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It is important to measure serum levels at steady state after each change of dose.
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Ecotopians develop steady state systems and technologies.
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In a word, a steady state system is lively, even truly alive, like a Darwinian universe.
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There was no reasonable mechanism in the steady state theory to generate microwaves with such a spectrum.
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The proposal that gained widest support was called the steady state theory.
stream
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The docks were experiencing a boom in trade and all day long a steady stream of customers came and went.
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But until the weather here turns cool again and the race heats up, look for a steady stream of empty feints.
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Individuals frequently work in a number of different company environments and experience a steady stream of training and personal development.
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A steady stream of planks and tarpaper and logs was thumping the tree, pushing it farther over.
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This, of course, is a recipe for disaster, her attempts to please meeting with a steady stream of rebuffs.
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I4e was having a hard time still and his day was a steady stream of disappointments.
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Press and television men were invited to breakfast or lunch with Whitelaw in a steady stream .
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She had a steady stream of original questions about the world.
supply
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Keep them moist in a warm greenhouse or a corner of the kitchen, for a steady supply of fresh sprigs.
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For centuries, infants provided the poliovirus a steady supply of hosts, and open sewers delivered the disease to them.
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The wood therefore is constantly regenerated, yet also yields a steady supply of timber and grazing.
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You had a steady supply of companies whose assets were undervalued.
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He was now feeling pleasantly intoxicated from the effects of a steady supply of alcohol, which had lifted his flagging spirits.
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In each case the studios were able to produce a steady supply of good, sometimes amazing, films.
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A steady supply of films that audiences want to see is crucial to the continued success and growth of multiplexes.
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To ensure a steady supply of corporations who could be prosecuted, other liberal reforms need to be considered.
trickle
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In the meantime the steady trickle of deaths from wounds and sickness continued.
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However, in recent years Conservative ministers have been irritated by a steady trickle of government defeats in the Upper House.
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Tackle tips: A steady trickle of bait running into a swim will attract and keep fish feeding in one place.
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A fountain of blood at first pours from his chest, but soon subsides to become a steady trickle .
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It was wet, with a steady trickle of water in its base.
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The steady trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth was dripping from his chin on to his coat front.
work
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He appears to have given up steady work .
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I wish he had taken up some steady work .
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Having no steady work means Texas has little money for such luxuries, anyway.
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Sethe was laughing; he had a promise of steady work , 124 was cleared up from spirits.
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They paid paltry wages to jazz musicians but gave them steady work and much freedom over what they played.
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The United States has traditionally offered the poor relatively easy access to the middle class if they can find steady work .
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(as) solid/steady as a rock
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It was as solid as rock .
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It was simply not admissible that something as blatantly solid as a rock could have come from the heavens.
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Peter was as steady as a rock , keeping the ball on the fairway and hitting nearly every green in regulation.
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Skipper Alan Kernaghan again led by example, with Nicky Mohan solid as a rock alongside him.
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The door was solid as rock .
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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steady rain
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A steady stream of refugees arrived at the camp.
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Chen maintained a steady pace throughout the race.
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Economists say they expect continued steady growth throughout the year.
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Hold the ladder steady .
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It's important to keep the temperature of the oven at a steady high heat.
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Larger families were being rehoused at a steady rate.
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Marisol has made steady progress this year.
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She held on to hand rails to keep herself steady .
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the steady destruction of the forests
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The study also notes a steady decline in the number of college students taking science courses.
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We drove all day at a steady 65 miles an hour.
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We need a steady platform above the waves before we can start drilling.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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A steady stream of planks and tarpaper and logs was thumping the tree, pushing it farther over.
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Fong thought of the back room, warm with the steady breaths of Soo and the children.
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Hadn't they all agreed to keep to a nice, steady speed after the immediate getaway?
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His breaths got steadier, quieter.
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It starts at zero and eventually the galaxies are moving apart at a steady speed.
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Television has contributed to the steady decline of solemnity in the courtroom.
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The United States has traditionally offered the poor relatively easy access to the middle class if they can find steady work.
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They coped well with steady rain making me question the need for overtrousers in milder seasons.
II. verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
on
▪
C: Steady on , this is a public meeting.
■ NOUN
breath
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Tamar took a deep breath to steady her nerves before she replied.
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Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Peach slid through the french windows from the terrace.
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A few deep breaths to steady his racing pulse, and he was ready.
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Claudia drew a deep breath and tried to steady her nerves.
hand
▪
The Hare-woman's hands steadied the gun and she started to lift it, taking aim.
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She stumbled and he put out his hand to steady her.
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She gripped his hand to steady herself and felt the strong bones.
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Using his hands to steady himself, he managed to free his leg from the sucking morass.
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She knew Ember's hand would steady her elbow before it did.
hold
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It seemed to her that her mind was like an overfilled glass which only she could hold steady .
■ VERB
keep
▪
Could my fondness have kept you steady I should not now appear before you in this solemn manner.
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Phalen, at the University of San Diego, said she hopes to keep admissions steady .
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The two of us have a planet to ourselves. 9 I kept my voice steady .
try
▪
She tried to hold it steady .
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He pushed himself to his feet and tried to steady himself.
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He slipped on the stairs and smashed a glass panel as he tried to steady himself.
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He was killing time before his appointment, trying to steady his nerve.
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Now he held her, his plump hands with fingers like sausages trying to steady her.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(as) solid/steady as a rock
▪
It was as solid as rock .
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It was simply not admissible that something as blatantly solid as a rock could have come from the heavens.
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Peter was as steady as a rock , keeping the ball on the fairway and hitting nearly every green in regulation.
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Skipper Alan Kernaghan again led by example, with Nicky Mohan solid as a rock alongside him.
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The door was solid as rock .
ready, steady, go!
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪
He stood up, holding on to the desk to steady himself.
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When she looked as though she was going to fall, Eddie's arm immediately went out to steady her.
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When the plane had steadied, Nancy went back to her seat.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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He steadied himself self-consciously, waving aside any further help.
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He held the boy's shoulders to steady him and Ben, startled and breathless, looked up into his face.
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He pushed himself to his feet and tried to steady himself.
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Once when they went round a corner she swayed against him and caught his arm to steady herself.
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She clutched the rail to steady herself, reached the deck and went to the closed doors of the lounge.
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The spectacle that confronted him was so overwhelming that he all but stumbled in alarm before the policeman caught and steadied him.
III. adverb
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ VERB
go
▪
Maybe they don't talk about going steady any more, he thought.
▪
Tell her you needed time with the idea of going steady , and you need time with this.
hold
▪
After long years of layoffs, steel employment is now holding steady , and output is up.
▪
Unemployment held steady at a low 5. 6 percent in December, Labor Department figures showed today.
▪
In both hands he held steady a glass tumbler drained to the ice.
remain
▪
San Antonio outlets reported a decrease in overall funding and fewer volunteers, though food donations remained steady .
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It rose by more than 70 percent among women and remained steady among men.
▪
Some primary care doctors' incomes have gone up slightly, and the others have seen their incomes remain steady .
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪
After long years of layoffs, steel employment is now holding steady , and output is up.
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Black burn looked port and spotted his brother rowing strong and steady , his dory still full of fish.
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My mind locks in: take it steady , keep cool and don't kick at the ice!
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Nigel Lawson, it seemed, was neither holding the pound steady abroad nor keeping down prices at home.
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Thus, slow and steady wins the race, but timing is everything.
IV. noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ VERB
go
▪
Somehow, the mention of marriage has strained even the sweet pleasure we found in going steady .
hold
▪
To pick up the reflected signals, the cellphone has to be held steady for a few seconds, says Lubecke.
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The wind and the cold made it impossible to hold steady over putts.
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It is gratifying to be able to report that our membership throughout the country has held steady in this critical period.
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He held that microphone steady with all his heart.
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Mr Moszkowski expects those returns to hold steady for the fourth and first quarters.
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The gain will be large enough, however, to hold the unemployment rate steady at 5. 6 percent.
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In the past two years, the council has held tuition steady while urging colleges to moderate fee increases.
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He has promised to hold defense spending steady .
keep
▪
It would have been everything just to keep her steady , facing that way, just to stay afloat.
▪
I concentrated on keeping steady the three-inch-long shard of what had once been part of a large perfect oval.
remain
▪
Packers have found it difficult to pass on any price increases to multiples with the result that retail tickets have remained steady .
V. interjection
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪
Steady ! Watch what you're doing.