steward

views updated Jun 11 2018

stew·ard / ˈst(y)oōərd/ • n. 1. a person who looks after the passengers on a ship, aircraft, or train and brings them meals. ∎  a person responsible for supplies of food to a college, club, or other institution.2. an official appointed to supervise arrangements or keep order at a large public event, for example a sporting event. ∎ short for shop steward.3. a person employed to manage another's property, esp. a large house or estate. ∎  a person whose responsibility it is to take care of something: farmers pride themselves on being stewards of the countryside.• v. [tr.] 1. (of an official) supervise arrangements or keep order at (a large public event): the event was organized and stewarded properly. 2. manage or look after (another's property).DERIVATIVES: stew·ard·ship n.

steward

views updated May 11 2018

steward a person employed to manage another person's property, especially a large house or estate; in the UK, an officer of the royal household, especially an administrator of Crown estates. Recorded from Old English (in form stīweard), the word comes from stig (probably in the sense ‘house, hall’) + weard ‘ward’.
unjust steward in a parable from Luke 16, a rich man's steward who, accused by his master of being thriftless and fearing destitution from being dismissed, arranges with his master's debtors to reduce the apparent amount of the debts they owe.

steward

views updated Jun 11 2018

steward officer of a (royal) household OE.; high administrative officer XIV; ship's officer who keeps stores, etc.; (Sc. hist.) magistrate administering crown lands XV. OE. stiġweard, stīweard, f. stiġ (prob.) house, hall (cf. *stiġwita householder, and STY2) + weard WARD1.

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