[f. STEADFAST a. + -NESS.] The quality of being steadfast.
1. Constancy or fixity in purpose, belief, fidelity, affection, etc.
a. 1000. Rit. Dunelm. (Surtees), 50. Virtute constantiæ, mæʓne stydfæstnis.
c. 1220. Bestiary, 182. Feste ðe of stedefastnesse, and ful of ðewes.
c. 1397. Chaucer, Lack Stedf., 7. Al is loste for lac of stedfastnesse.
1508. Dunbar, Gold. Targe, 164. Scho led wyth hir Nurture and Lawlynes, Contenence, Pacience Gude Fame and Stedfastnes.
1526. Tindale, 2 Pet. iii. 17. Beware lest ye … fall from youre owne stedfastnes.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, III. § 23. 225. He would with the best stedfastnesse of faith that he could pray for them.
1707. Lond. Gaz., No. 4308/1. His Stedfastness in their Interest might be depended on.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xx. IV. 389. Middleton adhered to the cause of hereditary monarchy with a stedfastness which [etc.].
1876. Miss Braddon, J. Haggard’s Dau., x. II. 21. The man who is without steadfastness will neither do good to others nor to himself.
† 2. Established or permanent condition. Obs.
c. 1450. Godstow Reg., 343. We, grauntyng and in stedfastnesse havyng, and our forseid present writyng of witnesse, conferme and strengthe the yifte which we have I-made.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 819. The Duke and the Bishop declared what thing was deuised … for to set the realme in a quiet stedfastnesse.
3. In physical sense: Fixity in position. arch.
a. 1542. Wyatt, Ps. xxxviii. 14. Nor in my bonis there is no stedfastnes.
1787. Smeaton, in Phil. Trans., LXXVII. 320. A stand of such solidity and steadfastness that the telescope might preserve the position in which it was placed.
1827. Steuart, Planter’s G. (1828), 65. The steadfastness of the plants, in consequence of their fastenings … almost precluded contingency.
1868. Morris, Earthly Par., I. I. 267. And forward did the mighty waters press As though they loved the green earth’s steadfastness.
4. Steadiness or fixity (of gaze).
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 84. Hee taketh his yong when as they be yong and tender, and haue not ful stedfastnesse in their eies.
1647. Fuller, Good Th. in Worse T., 50. For our Saviour glancing his Eyes at the Peoples instruction, did no whit hinder the steadfastnesse of his lookes, lifted up to his Father.
1847. C. Brontë, Jane Eyre, xxx. There was … a decided steadfastness in his gaze now.
