stable
♦♦ sta|ble /st'eɪbəl/ (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 1992.
...a stable marriage.
● stability [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.
≠ unstable
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)
The less stable compounds were converted into a compound called Delta-A THC.
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.
≠ unstable
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, be V-ed
When horses are stabled, they are put into a stable.
The animals had been fed and stabled...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)
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 1992.
...a stable marriage.
● stability [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.
≠ unstable
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)
The less stable compounds were converted into a compound called Delta-A THC.
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.
≠ unstable
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, be V-ed
When horses are stabled, they are put into a stable.
The animals had been fed and stabled...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)