Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Steward
Stew′ard
,Noun.
1.
A man employed in a large family, or on a large estate, to manage the domestic concerns, supervise other servants, collect the rents or income, keep accounts, and the like.
Worthy to be
stewards
of rent and land. Chaucer.
They came near to the
steward
of Joseph’s house. Gen. xliii. 19.
As good
stewards
of the manifold grace of God. 1 Pet. iv. 10.
2.
A person employed in a hotel, or a club, or on board a ship, to provide for the table, superintend the culinary affairs, etc. In naval vessels, the captain's steward, wardroom steward, steerage steward, warrant officers steward, etc., are petty officers who provide for the messes under their charge.
3.
A fiscal agent of certain bodies;
as, a
. steward
in a Methodist church4.
In some colleges, an officer who provides food for the students and superintends the kitchen; also, an officer who attends to the accounts of the students.
5.
In Scotland, a magistrate appointed by the crown to exercise jurisdiction over royal lands.
Erskine.
Lord high steward
, formerly, the first officer of the crown; afterward, an officer occasionally appointed, as for a coronation, or upon the trial of a peer.
[Eng.]
Stew′ard
,Verb.
T.
To manage as a steward.
[Obs.]
Webster 1828 Edition
Steward
STEWARD
,Noun.
1.
A man employed in great families to manage the domestic concerns, superintend the other servants, collect the rents or income, keep the accounts, &c. See Genesis 15:2 and 43:19.2.
An officer of state; as lord high steward; steward of the household, &c.3.
In colleges, an officer who provides food for the students and superintends the concerns of the kitchen.4.
In a ship of war, an officer who is appointed by the purser to distribute provisions to the officers and crew. In other ships, a man who superintends the provisions and liquors, and supplies the table.5.
In Scripture and theology, a minister of Christ, whose duty is to dispense the provisions of the gospel, to preach its doctrines and administer its ordinances.It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4.
STEWARD
,Verb.
T.
Definition 2024
Steward
steward
steward
See also: Steward
English
Noun
steward (plural stewards, feminine stewardess)
- A person who manages the property or affairs for another entity, particularly (historical) the chief administrator of a medieval manor.
- A ship's officer who is in charge of making dining arrangements and provisions.
- 1915, George A. Birmingham, “chapter I”, in Gossamer (Project Gutenberg; EBook #24394), London: Methuen & Co., published 8 January 2013 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 558189256:
- There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy. Mail bags, so I understand, are being put on board. Stewards, carrying cabin trunks, swarm in the corridors. Passengers wander restlessly about or hurry, with futile energy, from place to place.
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- A flight attendant, (chiefly) a male flight attendant.
- A union member who is selected as a representative for fellow workers in negotiating terms with management.
- A person who has charge of buildings and/or grounds and/or animals.
- A fiscal agent of certain bodies.
- a steward in a Methodist church
- In some colleges, an officer who provides food for the students and superintends the kitchen; also, an officer who attends to the accounts of the students.
- In Scotland, a magistrate appointed by the crown to exercise jurisdiction over royal lands.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Erskine to this entry?)
- In information technology, somebody who is responsible for managing a set of projects, products or technologies and how they affect the IT organization to which they belong.
Usage notes
With regard to airlines, steward is usually distinguished from the more common and exclusively feminine stewardess in colloquial speech, while the gender-neutral flight attendant is usually preferred to both in formal contexts. For the sake of brevity, steward is sometimes treated as a gender-neutral term itself and applied to both male and female flight attendants.
Synonyms
- (medieval overseer): bailiff, provost
- (member of a flight crew): air steward, airline steward; see also flight attendant
- (union member): shop steward
- (person in charge of buildings, grounds, etc.): caretaker, custodian, keeper; groundskeeper (of estates)
Hyponyms
- (member of a flight crew) See flight attendant
Derived terms
Terms derived from steward
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Translations
any administrator of the property or affairs of another
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the administrator of a medieval manor
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ship's officer in charge of making dining arrangements and provisions
flight attendant — see flight attendant
union member representing fellow workers
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any caretaker of buildings, estates, or animals
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IT: somebody responsible for managing a set of projects, products or technologies
Verb
steward (third-person singular simple present stewards, present participle stewarding, simple past and past participle stewarded)
- To act as the steward or caretaker of (something)
- 2007 May 1, Richard G. Jones, “An Acting Governor’s Balancing Act: Taking the Lead Without Stepping on Toes”, in New York Times:
- Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski, a Democrat from Middlesex County, said, “It’s an uncomfortable situation,” but added that Mr. Codey is nevertheless “ably stewarding the state.”
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