steeds

Forms

steeds^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch stedes, an adverbial genitive in -s of the Middle Dutch adjective stede (“steadfast, lasting”), a form with umlaut beside the commoner stade.^[2][1][3] The adjective goes back to Proto-Germanic *stēdija- (“lasting”), found only in continental West Germanic, and gestadig belongs with it.^[2][4][5] Middle Dutch also had ⟨staets⟩, formed from ⟨stade⟩ in the same way and still known in the south as ⟨staads⟩.^[2][6][7]

The same adverb is Middle Low German stedes, Middle High German stætes (modern German stets) and Old Frisian stēdes (modern West Frisian stees).^[2] Whether the Dutch word owes its form to German is debated: Franck–Van Wijk and Vercoullie took it from High German ⟨stets⟩, while Van Haeringen argued that the base ⟨stêde⟩ also occurs in texts with no German influence, so that German at most helped the form to spread, the view the Philippa dictionary takes.^[4][8][9][2] Van Veen and Van der Sijs instead derive it from Middle Dutch ⟨stede⟩ “place”, which was also used of time.^[10]

Earliest recorded meaning

The adverb is first recorded in 1351, in the sense “each time”: steeds weder van hare, “again and again from her”.^[2][6] The sense “continually” follows in a Holland text of 1470–1490, Odolias by hoer steets bleeff, “Odolias stayed with them all the time”.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

In the late Middle Ages the word was still rare, and staets was used mainly in the east.^[3][6] The Teuthonista of 1477 lists steeds with a reference to altijt “always”.^[6] Plantin's dictionary of 1573 gives stedes “always”, and Kiliaan (1599) also records steds as an adjective meaning “assiduous”.^[2][6][4] In 1666 a perpetual motion machine was called een steets beweeglijck werk.^[7]

The two senses “without stopping” and “again and again” have stayed side by side.^[7][11] With nog the adverb means “still”, and with a comparative “more and more”.^[11][1] Danish (stedse), Norwegian (stetse) and Swedish (städse) took the word from Dutch or Low German.^[12]

Timeline

• 1351 – Middle Dutch steeds “every time”.^[2][6]
• 1408 – Van staets “continually” in a Holland text.^[6]
• 1470–1490 – Steets “all the time”.^[2][6]
• 1477 – The Teuthonista lists steeds.^[6]
• 1573 – Plantin's dictionary gives stedes “always”.^[2][7]
• 1666 – Steets beweeglijck for a perpetual motion machine.^[7]

Meanings

Adverb

1. continually, all the time.^[11][1]
2. Every time, repeatedly.^[11][1]
3. With nog: still, up to this moment: het regent nog steeds.^[11][1]
4. With a comparative: more and more, ever: het werd steeds kouder.^[1]

Word family

• nog steeds

Related words

• gestadig
• stad
• German stets

Usage notes

An adjective steeds “urban, citified” (een steedse dame) is another word, a form of stads from stede “town”; the Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal records steedts “of the town” in 1573.^[11][7][1] Eastern dialects also have an adjective steedsch for a horse that will not move from its place.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Philippa, Marlies; Debrabandere, Frans; Quak, Arend; Schoonheim, Tanneke; Sijs, Nicoline van der (2003–2009), Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands, 4 vols., Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press; online via etymologiebank.nl
3. ^ a b Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum
4. ^ a b c Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
5. ^ Heidermanns, Frank (1993), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der germanischen Primäradjektive, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
7. ^ a b c d e f g Vries, Matthias de; Winkel, L. A. te, et al. (1882–1998), Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, 29 vols., 's-Gravenhage / Leiden: Nijhoff / Sijthoff / SDU; supplement 2001; gtb.ivdnt.org
8. ^ Vercoullie, Jozef (1925), Beknopt etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 3rd ed., 's-Gravenhage / Gent: Nijhoff / Van Rysselberghe & Rombaut
9. ^ Haeringen, C. B. van (1936), Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal: Supplement, 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
10. ^ Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie
11. ^ a b c d e f Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
12. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)