What is "stedfast"

Usage examples of "stedfast".

Quintii, Capitolinus and Cincinnatus, and his own uncle, Caius Claudius, a man most stedfast in the interest of the nobility, and other citizens of the same eminence, he appoints as decemvirs men by no means equal in rank of life: himself in the first instance, which proceeding honourable men disapproved so much the more, as no one had imagined that he would have the daring to act so.

And my deuoute prayer, sincerely vnited to a contrite heart, powring out a fountaine of teares with a stedfast beliefe to be deliuered.

The women are doggedly stedfast in their will, and till matters are settled, look like hedgehogs, with every quill raised, and firmly set, as if to forbid the approach of any one who might wish to rub them down.

So both attonce him charge on either side,With hideous strokes, and importable powre,That forced him his ground to trauerse wide,And wisely watch to ward that deadly stowre:For in his shield, as thicke as stormie showre,Their strokes did raine, yet did he neuer quaile,Ne backward shrinke, but as a stedfast towre,Whom foe with double battry doth assaile,Them on her bulwarke beares, and bids them nought auaile.

On th'other side, th'assieged Castles wardTheir stedfast stonds did mightily maintaine,And many bold repulse, and many hardAtchieuement wrought with perill and with paine,That goodly frame from ruine to sustaine:And those two brethren Giants did defendThe walles so stoutly with their sturdie maine,That neuer entrance any durst pretend,But they to direfull death their groning ghosts did send.

The whiles faire Britomart, whose constant mind,Would not so lightly follow beauties chace,Ne reckt of Ladies Loue, did stay behind,And them awayted there a certaine space,To weet if they would turne backe to that place:But when she saw them gone, she forward went,As lay her iourney, through that perlous Pace,With stedfast courage and stout hardiment.

A S Pilot well expert in perilous waue,That to a stedfast starre his course hath bent,When foggy mistes, or cloudy tempests haueThe faithfull light of that faire lampe yblent,And couer'd heauen with hideous dreriment,Vpon his card and compas firmes his eye,The maisters of his long experiment,And to them does the steddy helme apply,Bidding his winged vessell fairely forward fly.

In so great prayse of stedfast chastity,Nathlesse she was so curteous and kind,Tempred with grace, and goodly modesty,That seemed those two vertues stroue to findThe higher place in her Heroick mind:So striuing each did other more augment,And both encreast the prayse of woman kind,And both encreast her beautie excellent.

And his true loue faire Psyche with him playes,Faire Psyche to him lately reconcyld,After long troubles and vnmeet vpbrayes,With which his mother Venus her reuyld,And eke himselfe her cruelly exyld:But now in stedfast loue and happy stateShe with him liues, and hath him borne a chyld,Pleasure, that doth both gods and men aggrate,Pleasure, the daughter of Cupid and Psyche late.