— stewardship , n.
/stooh"euhrd, styooh"-/ , n.
1. a person who manages another's property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others.
2. a person who has charge of the household of another, buying or obtaining food, directing the servants, etc.
3. an employee who has charge of the table, wine, servants, etc., in a club, restaurant, or the like.
4. a person who attends to the domestic concerns of persons on board a vessel, as in overseeing maids and waiters.
5. an employee on a ship, train, or bus who waits on and is responsible for the comfort of passengers, takes orders for or distributes food, etc.
6. a flight attendant.
7. a person appointed by an organization or group to supervise the affairs of that group at certain functions.
8. U.S. Navy. a petty officer in charge of officer's quarters and mess.
v.t.
9. to act as steward of; manage.
v.i.
10. to act or serve as steward.
[ bef. 900; ME; OE stiweard, stigweard, equiv. to stig- (sense uncert.; prob. "house, hall"; see STY 1 ) + weard WARD 2 ]