state

state
\ \ [13] State comes, partly via Old French estat (source of English estate), from Latin statusway of standing, condition, position’, which was formed from the same base as stārestand’ (a distant relative of English stand). The word’s political sense, ‘body politic’, first recorded in the 16th century, comes from Latin expressions such as status rei publicaecondition of the republic’ and status civitatiscondition of the body politic’. The verb state originally meant ‘put, place’; its modern meaning ‘declare’ arose from the notion of ‘placing’ something on record, setting it out in detail. English borrowed status itself in the 17th century.
\ \ Cf.ESTATE, STAND, STATION, STATISTIC, STATUE; STATUTE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • state — state, the state The state is a distinct set of institutions that has the authority to make the rules which govern society . It has, in the words of Max Weber, a ‘monopoly on legitimate violence’ within a specific territory. Hence, the state… …   Dictionary of sociology

  • State — (st[=a]t), n. [OE. stat, OF. estat, F. [ e]tat, fr. L. status a standing, position, fr. stare, statum, to stand. See {Stand}, and cf. {Estate}, {Status}.] 1. The circumstances or condition of a being or thing at any given time. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • state — [steɪt] noun 1. [countable usually singular] the condition that someone or something is in at a particular time: • The property market is in a poor state. • I personally think the economy is in a worse state than the Government has been admitting …   Financial and business terms

  • state — n often attrib 1 a: a politically organized body of people usu. occupying a definite territory; esp: one that is sovereign b: the political organization that has supreme civil authority and political power and serves as the basis of government… …   Law dictionary

  • state — [stāt] n. [ME < OFr & L: OFr estat < L status, state, position, standing < pp. of stare, to STAND] 1. a set of circumstances or attributes characterizing a person or thing at a given time; way or form of being; condition [a state of… …   English World dictionary

  • state — state; state·hood; state·less; state·less·ness; state·let; state·li·ly; state·li·ness; state·sid·er; su·per·state; tung·state; un·state; mi·cro·state; mini·state; in·ter·state; state·ly; state·ment; …   English syllables

  • state — ► NOUN 1) the condition of someone or something at a particular time. 2) a nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government. 3) a community or area forming part of a federal republic. 4) (the States) the… …   English terms dictionary

  • state — It is usual to spell it with a capital initial letter when it refers to political entities, either nations (The State of Israel / a State visit), or parts of a federal nation (the State of Virginia / crossing the State border), and when it means… …   Modern English usage

  • State — State, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Stated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Stating}.] 1. To set; to settle; to establish. [R.] [1913 Webster] I myself, though meanest stated, And in court now almost hated. Wither. [1913 Webster] Who calls the council, states the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • state — [n1] condition or mode of being accompaniment, attitude, capacity, case, category, chances, character, circumstance, circumstances, contingency, element, environment, essential, estate, event, eventuality, fix, footing, form, frame of mind, humor …   New thesaurus

  • State — (st[=a]t), a. 1. Stately. [Obs.] Spenser. [1913 Webster] 2. Belonging to the state, or body politic; public. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”