— staidly , adv. — staidness , n.
/stayd/ , adj.
1. of settled or sedate character; not flighty or capricious.
2. fixed, settled, or permanent.
v.
3. Archaic. a pt. and pp. of stay 1 .
[ 1535-45 for adj. use ]
Syn. 1. proper, serious, decorous, solemn. STAID, SEDATE, SETTLED indicate a sober and composed type of conduct. STAID indicates an ingrained seriousness and propriety that shows itself in complete decorum; a colorless kind of correctness is indicated: a staid and uninteresting family. SEDATE applies to one who is noticeably quiet, composed, and sober in conduct: a sedate and dignified young man. One who is SETTLED has become fixed, esp. in a sober or determined way, in manner, judgments, or mode of life: He is young to be so settled in his ways.
Ant. 1. wild, frivolous.