I. still 1 S1 W1 /stɪl/ BrE AmE adverb
1 . up to a particular point in time and continuing at that moment:
I still haven’t finished painting the spare room.
Do you still have Julie’s phone number?
GRAMMAR
Still usually comes before the verb, unless the verb is a simple tense of ‘be’, or after the first auxiliary:
▪
The system still works.
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It was still dark outside.
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I can still remember them.
Still usually comes before any negative word or before 'do not':
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She still isn’t ready.
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They still can’t decide.
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I’m still not tired.
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We still do not know exactly what happened.
► Do not say 'still now':
▪
Inflation is still (NOT still now) a problem.
2 . in spite of what has just been said or done:
Clare didn’t do much work, but she still passed the exam.
[sentence adverb]
The hotel was terrible. Still, we were lucky with the weather.
3 . still more/further/another/other used to emphasize that something increases more, there is more of something etc:
Kevin grew still more depressed.
4 . better/harder/worse etc still ( also still better/harder/worse etc ) even better, harder etc than something else:
Dan found biology difficult, and physics harder still.
II. still 2 S3 BrE AmE adjective
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: stille ]
1 . not moving:
We stood still and watched as the deer came closer.
Keep still while I tie your shoe.
the still waters of the lake
2 . quiet and calm:
The house was completely still.
3 . not windy:
a hot still day
4 . British English a still drink does not contain gas:
still or sparkling mineral water
5 . still waters run deep used to say that someone who is quiet may have very strong feelings or a lot of knowledge
—stillness noun [uncountable] :
Somewhere in the stillness of the night, an owl hooted.
III. still 3 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Sense 1,3: Date: 1600-1700 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ still 2 ]
[ Sense 2: Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: distill ]
1 . a photograph of a scene from a film
2 . a piece of equipment for making alcoholic drinks from grain or potatoes
3 . the still of the night/evening etc literary the calm and quiet of the night etc
IV. still 4 BrE AmE verb literary
1 . [intransitive and transitive] to stop moving, or make something stop moving:
The ground beneath them trembled, then stilled.
2 . [intransitive and transitive] if a noise stills or is stilled, it stops:
The murmurs stilled.
He stilled their protests with a wave of his hands.
3 . [transitive] if a doubt or fear is stilled, it becomes weaker or goes away
• • •
THESAURUS
■ not moving
▪ still not moving – use this especially about people who are not moving, or about places where there is no wind:
There was no wind and the trees were completely still.
|
Keep still while I tie your shoes.
▪ stationary not moving – use this about cars, trains, or objects:
The truck swerved and hit a stationary vehicle.
▪ immobile not moving or not able to move, especially because of fear or tiredness:
As the disease progressed, she became increasingly immobile.
▪ motionless completely still – used especially in literature:
Kemp sat motionless as the verdict was read.
▪ calm not moving because there is no wind – use this about air and water:
The lake was calm.
▪ be at a standstill if traffic is at a standstill it is not moving:
Traffic was at a standstill on the motorway.