/ steɪt; NAmE / noun , adjective , verb
■ noun
CONDITION OF SB / STH
1.
[ C ] the mental, emotional or physical condition that a person or thing is in :
a confused state of mind
He was in a state of permanent depression.
anxieties about the state of the country's economy
The building is in a bad state of repair (= needs to be repaired) .
She was in a state of shock .
( BrE , informal )
Look at the state of you! You can't go out looking like that.
You're not in a fit state to drive.
➡ note at condition
COUNTRY
2.
(also State ) [ C ] a country considered as an organized political community controlled by one government :
the Baltic States
European Union member states
—see also city state , nation state , police state , welfare state
➡ note at country
PART OF COUNTRY
3.
(also State ) [ C ] ( abbr. St. ) an organized political community forming part of a country :
the states of Victoria and Western Australia
the southern states of the US
GOVERNMENT
4.
(also the State ) [ U , sing. ] the government of a country :
matters / affairs of state
people who are financially dependent on the state
a state-owned company
They wish to limit the power of the State.
OFFICIAL CEREMONY
5.
[ U ] the formal ceremonies connected with high levels of government or with kings and queens :
The president was driven in state through the streets.
THE US
6.
the States [ pl. ] ( informal ) the United States of America :
I've never been to the States.
•
IDIOMS
- be in / get into a state
- in a state of grace
- a state of affairs
- the state of play
■ adjective
(also State ) [ only before noun ]
GOVERNMENT
1.
provided or controlled by the government of a country :
state education
families dependent on state benefits (= in Britain, money given by the government to people who are poor)
state secrets (= information that could be harmful to a country if it were discovered by an enemy)
OFFICIAL
2.
connected with the leader of a country attending an official ceremony :
The Queen is on a state visit to Moscow.
the state opening of Parliament
the state apartments (= used for official ceremonies)
PART OF COUNTRY
3.
connected with a particular state of a country, especially in the US :
a state prison / hospital / university, etc.
state police / troopers
a state tax
■ verb
1.
to formally write or say sth, especially in a careful and clear way :
[ vn ]
He has already stated his intention to run for election.
The facts are clearly stated in the report.
There is no need to state the obvious (= to say sth that everyone already knows) .
[ v wh- ]
State clearly how many tickets you require.
[ v that ]
He stated categorically that he knew nothing about the deal.
[ vn that ]
It was stated that standards at the hospital were dropping.
[ vn to inf ]
The contract was stated to be invalid.
HELP NOTE : This pattern is usually used in the passive.
➡ note at declare
2.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] to fix or announce the details of sth, especially on a written document :
This is not one of their stated aims.
You must arrive at the time stated.
Do not exceed the stated dose (= of medicine) .
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (as a noun): partly a shortening of estate , partly from Latin status manner of standing, condition, from stare to stand. The current verb senses date from the mid 17th cent.