# solid

Pronunciation: US say "SAH-lid" /ˈsɑ.lɪd/; UK say "SOL-id" /ˈsɒl.ɪd/

## Adjective

1. In the firm state of matter, keeping its own shape and able to be held or touched, as opposed to being a liquid, gas, or plasma, whether or not it is hollow inside.
   - Simple: Firm and keeping its own shape, so you can hold it, not like a liquid or gas.
   - _Once the lava cooled, it became a solid mass of rock._
   - _At room temperature, butter stays solid but softens quickly in your hand._
2. In sound condition; strong, healthy, or stable and unlikely to fail.
   - Simple: In good condition and not weak or likely to fail.
   - _Years of farm work had given him a solid constitution that rarely let him down._
   - _A solid economy helped the region weather the downturn._
3. Excellent, high in quality, or thoroughly reliable.
   - Simple: Very good, or something you can trust and depend on.
   - _The band put on a solid performance that left fans cheering._
   - _She's a solid teammate you can always count on._
5. Having no holes or hollow spaces inside, or made of the same material all the way through rather than plated or filled.
   - Simple: Having no empty space inside, or made of the same material all the way through.
   - _The ring is solid gold, not gold-plated brass like the cheaper copies._
   - _Engineers chose a solid beam over a hollow tube to carry the load._
6. Strong and firm, not bending or giving way when force is applied.
   - Simple: Strong and not easily bent, broken, or moved.
   - _The old ladder felt solid and did not wobble when he climbed to the roof._
   - _The fortress walls were solid enough to withstand the siege._
7. Worthy of trust, credit, or respect; substantial and not frivolous or mistaken.
   - Simple: Deserving of trust and respect, and based on careful thinking rather than silly ideas.
   - _His thesis rested on a solid foundation of careful research._
   - _The committee wanted solid reasons before approving the budget._
8. Having a single color throughout, without pattern or variation.
   - Simple: Having just one color all over, with no pattern.
   - _He prefers solid colors over busy prints._
   - _The flag was once a solid red banner with no markings._
9. Considerable in size, quantity, or value.
   - Simple: Large in size, amount, or worth.
   - _The investment returned a solid profit this quarter._
   - _He gained a solid lead in the early polls._
14. Continuous and unbroken, not formed of dots or dashes.
   - Simple: Drawn as one unbroken line, not dotted or dashed.
   - _A solid line on the map marks the main highway._
   - _Use a solid border around the chart instead of a dashed one._
11. Entire and complete, with no break or interruption throughout.
   - Simple: Whole and complete, with no break or pause in between.
   - _He worked a solid eight hours before taking any rest._
   - _They argued for a solid hour before reaching any agreement._
15. Financially sound and secure, able to meet its debts and obligations.
   - Simple: Having money matters in good order, able to pay what is owed.
   - _The family was solid, with no debts and money in the bank._
   - _Investors want to know whether the insurer is solid enough to pay every claim if a major storm hits._
16. Describing rain or anything else that falls or comes in a stream as heavy and continuing without a break.
   - Simple: Steady and heavy, going on without a break.
   - _The forecast promised sunshine, but we got a whole weekend of solid rain and never left the cabin._
   - _The hikers faced solid sleet for the entire climb._
17. Hearty and filling, leaving you well fed.
   - Simple: Big and filling enough to satisfy your hunger.
   - _A solid meal of stew and bread warmed the travelers._
   - _The farmers wanted a solid lunch before the long afternoon._
19. United and in full agreement; acting together as one.
   - Simple: All agreeing and acting together.
   - _The party presented a solid front against the proposal._
   - _Every senator in the party voted for the bill, a solid bloc that the other side could not break._
21. Of a compound word, written as one word with no space or hyphen between its parts, as 'notebook' is.
   - Simple: Written as a single word, with no spaces or dashes between the parts.
   - _Over time, many hyphenated compounds become solid._
   - _Many compounds are written as two words at first and only later become solid, as 'website' did._
25. Of type, set without extra spacing between the lines; not leaded or opened up.
   - Simple: Printed with no extra space between the lines of text.
   - _The dense paragraph was set solid to save space._
   - _Older books often used solid composition with little room between lines._

## Noun

4. A substance in a fundamental state of matter that keeps its size and shape without needing a container, unlike a liquid or gas.
   - Simple: Something that keeps its shape and size on its own, not flowing like water or air.
   - _Mercury is unusual among metals because it stays liquid at room temperature and becomes a solid only in severe cold._
   - _Chemists study how a solid melts into a liquid as it warms._
10. Food that is not liquid-based, as distinct from drinks and other liquid nourishment.
   - Simple: Food that is not mostly liquid, unlike milk, juice, or soup.
   - _Doctors advised her to avoid solids until the nausea passed._
   - _Most pediatricians suggest introducing solids once an infant can sit up without help._
13. An act of kindness or help done for someone as an informal favor. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A kind thing you do to help someone out.
   - _She owed him a solid after he helped her move apartments._
   - _Do me a solid and grab my keys on your way out._
12. A three-dimensional figure, having volume rather than only a surface, an area, or a curve.
   - Simple: A shape that has length, width, and height, not just a flat surface.
   - _Geometry students calculate the volume of each solid in the set._
   - _A sphere is a solid with no edges or vertices._
20. A garment that is a single color throughout, with no patterns or prints.
   - Simple: A piece of clothing that is just one color all over, with no patterns.
   - _The designer showed several solids alongside the floral prints._
   - _Stylists often suggest pairing a bold floral skirt with a simple solid, so the pattern stays the focus._

## Adverb

18. Used after a verb or time expression to mean firmly, completely, or continuously without interruption, as in 'frozen solid' or 'two hours solid'.
   - Simple: Firmly, completely, or continuously without a break.
   - _It rained solid for three days straight._
   - _Her calendar has been booked solid all month._
22. In a single unbroken word, with no spaces or hyphens between the parts.
   - Simple: In a way that joins the parts into one word, with no spaces or dashes.
   - _Set the compound solid unless the style guide says otherwise._
   - _Modern usage often spells the term solid._

## Adjective

23. Having all three geometrical dimensions; cubic, as in measures expressed by volume. *(dated)*
   - Simple: Measured in all three dimensions, not just on a flat side.
24. Closely allied or on friendly terms with someone; in someone's favor. *(dated)*
   - Simple: Close and friendly with someone, and liked or supported by them.

## Other meanings

- (adjective) Measured as one continuous mass, with the volumes of the separate pieces added together and no gaps counted.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–3, 5–9, 11, 14–19, 21–25** — Latin solidus ("solid") passed into Old French as solide and was borrowed from there into Middle English, also as solide. Further back it rests on a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "whole" or "entire."
**Meanings 4, 10, 12–13, 20** — This use came into Middle English as solid, either from the adjective itself or from Middle French solide or Latin solidum.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/solid (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).