stead
stead — noun
1. used to say that one person does something instead of another person, taking ove
used to say that one person does something instead of another person, taking over their expected role or duty.
Professor Okonkwo could not attend the conference, so Dr. Okafor presented in his stead.
in + possessive + stead
Since the manager was on sick leave, Anjali signed the contract in her stead.
The CEO sent a junior executive to the meeting in her stead, which surprised the board members.
When the mayor fell ill, the deputy mayor spoke in his stead at the last minute.
The organisers booked a local band to perform in the headliner's stead rather than cancelling.
- place
interchangeable in the phrase 'in someone's stead/place' — 'place' is far more common and less formal, used in everyday speech.
- position
overlaps in meaning but is not used in the same fixed phrase; you can be 'in someone's position' but that refers to their general situation, not acting as a replacement.
文法句型
in + possessive determiner + stead
in + noun('s) + stead
用法筆記
In modern English, 'stead' appears almost exclusively in the fixed construction 'in someone's stead' (or 'in something's stead'). The possessive can be a noun with 's (the manager's stead) or a possessive determiner (my stead, her stead). Outside this pattern the word is not used as a free-standing noun.
常見錯誤
stead — verb
- steadpresent simple I / you / we / they
- steads3rd person singular
- steading-ing form
- steadedpast simple
1. to be useful or helpful to someone, especially in a practical way during a diffi
to be useful or helpful to someone, especially in a practical way during a difficult time.
In the old tale, a magical ring stead the hero on his dangerous journey.
archaic register
The wise woman's remedies stead many villagers during the harsh winter centuries ago.
His courage stead the soldiers when the enemy surrounded their camp at dawn.
The ancient remedy stead the fisherman's son when the fever took hold.
文法句型
stead + object
用法筆記
This verb is archaic and does not appear in modern everyday English. It is found only in historical fiction, older literary texts, or deliberately formal writing. The modern equivalent for everyday use is 'help' or 'assist'.