sta|ble ◆◆◇ /ste I b ə l/ (stabler , stablest , stables )
1 ADJ If something is stable , it is not likely to change or come to an end suddenly. □ The price of oil should remain stable for the rest of the year. □ …a stable marriage. ● sta|bil|ity /stəb I l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ It was a time of political stability and progress.
2 ADJ If someone has a stable personality, they are calm and reasonable and their mood does not change suddenly. □ Their characters are fully formed and they are both very stable children.
3 ADJ You can describe someone who is seriously ill as stable when their condition has stopped getting worse. □ The injured man was in a stable condition.
4 ADJ Chemical substances are described as stable when they tend to remain in the same chemical or atomic state. [TECHNICAL ] □ Cordite was a particularly stable compound.
5 ADJ If an object is stable , it is firmly fixed in position and is not likely to move or fall. □ This structure must be stable.
6 N‑COUNT A stable or stables is a building in which horses are kept.
7 N‑COUNT A stable or stables is an organization that breeds and trains horses for racing. □ Miss Curling won on two horses from Mick Trickey's stable.
8 VERB [usu passive] When horses are stabled , they are put into a stable. □ [be V -ed] The animals had been fed and stabled. SYNONYMS stable ADJ
1
secure: …trade union demands for secure wages and employment.
lasting: We are well on our way to a lasting peace.
strong: He felt he had a relationship strong enough to talk frankly to Sarah.
sound: When we bought the house, it was structurally sound.
2
well-balanced: …a fun-loving, well-balanced individual.
sensible: She was a sensible girl and did not panic.
reasonable: He's a reasonable sort of chap. ADJ 5
solid: Banks are built to look solid to reassure their customers.
firm: If you have to climb up, use a firm platform or a sturdy ladder.
secure: Shelves are only as secure as their fixings.
sta |ble boy (stable boys ) also stableboy N‑COUNT A stable boy is a young man who works in a stable looking after the horses.
sta |ble lad (stable lads ) also stable-lad N‑COUNT A stable lad is the same as a stable boy . [BRIT ] in AM, use stable boy
stable|mate /ste I b ə lme I t/ (stablemates ) N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] Stablemates are race horses that come from the same stables and often compete against each other. □ The head groom is responsible for looking after Milton and his stablemates.
sta b wound (stab wounds ) N‑COUNT A stab wound is a wound that someone has when they have been stabbed with a knife.
stac|ca|to /stəkɑː toʊ/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A staccato noise consists of a series of short, sharp, separate sounds. □ He spoke in Arabic, a short staccato burst.
stack /stæ k/ (stacks , stacking , stacked )
1 N‑COUNT A stack of things is a pile of them. □ [+ of ] There were stacks of books on the bedside table and floor.
2 VERB If you stack a number of things, you arrange them in neat piles. □ [V n] Mme Cathiard was stacking the clean bottles in crates. □ [V -ed] They are stacked neatly in piles of three. ● PHRASAL VERB Stack up means the same as stack . □ [V P n] He ordered them to stack up pillows behind his back. □ [V -ed P ] …plates of delicious food stacked up on the counters. [Also V n P ]
3 N‑PLURAL If you say that someone has stacks of something, you mean that they have a lot of it. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] If the job's that good, you'll have stacks of money.
4 VERB If someone in authority stacks an organization or body, they fill it with their own supporters so that the decisions it makes will be the ones they want it to make. [mainly AM ] □ [V n + with ] They said they were going to stack the court with anti-abortion judges. [Also V n]
5 → see also stacked , chimney stack
6 PHRASE If you say that the odds are stacked against someone, or that particular factors are stacked against them, you mean that they are unlikely to succeed in what they want to do because the conditions are not favourable. □ The odds are stacked against civilians getting a fair trial. □ Everything seems to be stacked against us.
▸ stack up
1 PHRASAL VERB [no passive] If you ask how one person or thing stacks up against other people or things, you are asking how the one compares with the others. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P ] How does this final presidential debate stack up and compare to the others, do you think?
2 PHRASAL VERB If facts or figures do not stack up , they do not make sense or give the results you expect. □ [V P ] There have been a number of explanations, but none of them stack up.
3 → see stack 2
stacked /stæ kt/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If a place or surface is stacked with objects, it is filled with piles of them. □ [+ with ] Shops in Ho Chi Minh City are stacked with goods.
sta|dium ◆◇◇ /ste I diəm/ (stadiums or stadia /ste I diə/) N‑COUNT A stadium is a large sports ground with rows of seats all round it. □ …a baseball stadium. □ …Wembley Stadium.