sturdy

sturdy
\ \ [13] Someone who is sturdy is etymologically ‘as drunk as a thrush’ – the ancient Roman equivalent to ‘pissed as a newt’.
\ \ The word comes from Old French estourdistunned, dazed, violent’, the past participle of estourdir. This went back to a Vulgar Latin *exturdīrebe dazed like a drunken thrush’, a compound verb formed from the intensive prefix ex- and Latin turdusthrush’ (the use of the thrush as a symbol of drunkenness perhaps arose from observations of the birds staggering around after feasting on stolen fermenting wine grapes).
\ \ The metaphorical Old French sense ‘violent, reckless’ passed over into English, and by the 14th century had evolved into ‘strong, vigorous, robust’.

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Sturdy — Stur dy, a. [Compar. {Sturdier}; superl. {Sturdiest}.] [OE. sturdi inconsiderable, OF. estourdi stunned, giddy, thoughtless, rash, F. [ e]tourdi, p. p. of OF. estourdir to stun, to render giddy, to amaze, F. [ e]tourdir; of uncertain origin. The… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sturdy — ► ADJECTIVE (sturdier, sturdiest) 1) strongly and solidly built or made. 2) confident and determined: a sturdy independence. DERIVATIVES sturdily adverb sturdiness noun. ORIGIN originally in the senses «reckless, violent» a …   English terms dictionary

  • sturdy — sturdy1 [stʉr′dē] adj. sturdier, sturdiest [ME, defiant, refractory, hardy < OFr estourdi, stunned, reckless (basic sense “hard to influence or control”) < VL * exturdire, to be dizzy (? from too much chattering) < L ex , intens. +… …   English World dictionary

  • Sturdy — Stur dy, n. [OF. estourdi giddiness, stupefaction.] (Vet.) A disease in sheep and cattle, marked by great nervousness, or by dullness and stupor. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sturdy — index durable, firm, indestructible, inexpugnable, solid (sound), stable, strong Burton s Legal Thesaurus …   Law dictionary

  • sturdy — c.1300, hard to manage, reckless, violent, from O.Fr. estourdi violent, originally dazed, pp. of estourdir to daze, from V.L. *exturdire, which is presumed to be from L. intensive prefix ex + turdus thrush. Perhaps the notion is of thrushes… …   Etymology dictionary

  • sturdy — *stout, *strong, stalwart, tough, tenacious Analogous words: sound, robust, *healthy: *vigorous, energetic, lusty: dogged, pertinacious (see OBSTINATE) Antonyms: decrepit …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • sturdy — [adj] solid, durable athletic, built to last*, bulky, determined, firm, flourishing, hardy, hearty, hefty, hulking, husky, lusty, muscular, powerful, powerhouse*, resolute, robust, rugged, secure, sound, stalwart, staunch, steadfast, stiff, stout …   New thesaurus

  • sturdy — stur|dy [ˈstə:di US ˈstə:r ] adj comparative sturdier superlative sturdiest [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: estourdi stupidly brave, stunned , from estourdir to stun , from Vulgar Latin exturdire to behave like a thrush that has got drunk …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • sturdy — adjective 1 someone who is sturdy is strong, short, and healthy looking: a sturdy young man | sturdy legs 2 an object that is sturdy is strong, well made, and not easily broken: a sturdy wall 3 determined and not easily persuaded to change your… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • sturdy — sturdy1 sturdily, adv. sturdiness, n. /sterr dee/, adj., sturdier, sturdiest. 1. strongly built; stalwart; robust: sturdy young athletes. 2. strong, as in substance, construction, or texture: sturdy walls. 3. firm; courageous; indomitable: t …   Universalium

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