stew

n. [ Cf. Stow. ] 1. A small pond or pool where fish are kept for the table; a vivarium. [ Obs. or Prov. Eng. ] Chaucer. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An artificial bed of oysters. [ Local, U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. stue, stuwe, OF. estuve. See Stew, v. t. ] 1. A place of stewing or seething; a place where hot bathes are furnished; a hothouse. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

As burning Aetna from his boiling stew
Doth belch out flames. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Lydians were inhibited by Cyrus to use any armor, and give themselves to baths and stews. Abp. Abbot. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A brothel; -- usually in the plural. Bacon. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

There be that hate harlots, and never were at the stews. Aschman. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A prostitute. [ Obs. ] Sir A. Weldon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A dish prepared by stewing; as, a stewof pigeons. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A state of agitating excitement; a state of worry; confusion; as, to be in a stew. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To be seethed or cooked in a slow, gentle manner, or in heat and moisture. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. stiward, AS. stīweard, stigweard, literally, a sty ward; stigu sty + weard warden, guardian, -- his first duty having been probably to attend to the domestic animals. √164. See Sty pen for swine, Ward. ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Worthy to be stewards of rent and land. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

They came near to the steward of Joseph's house. Gen. xliii. 19. [ 1913 Webster ]

As good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Pet. iv. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A fiscal agent of certain bodies; as, a steward in a Methodist church. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. In Scotland, a magistrate appointed by the crown to exercise jurisdiction over royal lands. Erskine. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To manage as a steward. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A female steward; specifically, a woman employed in passenger vessels to attend to the wants of female passengers. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a manner, or with the care, of a steward. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To be stewardly dispensed, not wastefully spent. Tooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The office of a steward. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]