Pronunciations (4)
-
/ˈsɒl.ɪd/
Pronunciation notes
- Canada
- Received-Pronunciation
-
/ˈsɑ.lɪd/
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
-
ˈsɑlɪd
Pronunciation notes
- US
-
ˈsɒlɪd
Pronunciation notes
- GB
Adjective
That can be picked up or held, having a texture, and usually firm. Unlike a liquid, gas or plasma.
Usage- of an object or substance
- Examples
-
Almost all metals are solid at room temperature.
Appreciably large in size, quantity, or value.
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
Almost a quarter of a million copies is really a solid number for today's record industry. In fact, that number is more than the last two number one albums
Americans increased their borrowing by a solid amount in September. But the gain was less than half the big August surge
More examples (1)
On top of that, the speaker is big, so you may have to set aside a solid amount of space for it.
Lacking holes, hollows or admixtures of other materials.
- Examples
-
solid gold
solid chocolate
More examples (1)
The cane was undoubtedly of foreign make, for it had a solid silver ferrule at one end, which was not English hall–marked.
Strong or unyielding.
- Examples
-
a solid foundation
As in the 1-0 win against Norway in Oslo, this was an England performance built on the foundations of solid defence and tactical discipline.
Continuous and heavy.
Usage- of rain
- Examples
-
He was covered in a fine mist by then, the night skies growing more saturated by the hour. It would be a nice, solid rain before long, he figured.
More examples (1)
The ground above looked like it might give out again in a solid rain. The opposite bank promised even less. The river bent around acres of mud pocked with knots of grass and cattail spikes. I was tired. Despite the dangers of camping on such unstable ground, I dragged the canoe up the bank[…]
Excellent, of high quality, or reliable.
Usage- Slang
- Examples
-
That's a solid plan.
Radiohead's on tour! Have you heard their latest album yet? It's quite solid.
More examples (2)
I don't think Dave would have done that. He's a solid dude.
Heading home from a party, two hipsters, completely stoned, pause to snuggle on a park bench. A fire engine roars by, bells clanging, sirens screaming. The boy flips. “Solid, doll,” he murmurs, “they’re playing our song!”
Hearty; filling.
- Examples
-
a solid meal
Worthy of credit, trust, or esteem; substantial; not frivolous or fallacious.
- Examples
-
the solid purpose of a sincere and virtuous answer
Theſe are they, who wanting Wit, affect Gravity, and go by the name of Solid men: and a ſolid man is, in plain English, a ſolid, ſolemn Fool.
More examples (1)
1875-1886, J. A. Symonds, Renaissance in Italy: The revival of learning The genius of the Italians wrought by solid toil what the myth-making imagination of the Germans had projected in a poem.
Financially well off; wealthy.
Sound; not weak.
- Examples
-
a solid constitution of body
Written as one word, without spaces or hyphens.
- Examples
-
American English writes many words as solid that British English hyphenates.
Not having the lines separated by leads; not open.
Usage- Dated
United; without division; unanimous.
Usage- US usage
- Slang
- Examples
-
The delegation is solid for a candidate.
Of a single color throughout.
- Examples
-
John painted the walls solid white.
He wore a solid shirt with floral pants.
United.
- Examples
-
More examples (2)
[…] the other acquired unlimited power over a solid kingdom. It would be tedious, and not very instructive, to follow the details of German public law during the middle ages : nor are the more important parts of it easily separable […]
[…] a solid New England vote. Even with all New England for him, Mr. Olney could scarcely carry the convention, because he is still hated by the populist and the labor and socialist elements of his party.[…]
Intimately allied or friendly with.
Usage- Dated
- Examples
-
More examples (3)
[…] we thus succeeded in making ourselves "solid with the administration" before we had been in a town or village forty-eight hours. The next steps in our plan of campaign were, first, to forestall suspicion in the minds of the[…]
I wanted to get solid with him for a time while he lived, but I believe he might have been worked into Paradise with half the scheming that was necessary before he deigned to look favorably upon me.
[Image of a man labelled 'League of Nations' pointing to a picture of a woman labelled 'Democracy Wilson'.] "If I can only get solid with her I stand a chance in this peace game." - The Passing Show (London).
Continuous; unbroken; not dotted or dashed.
Usage- of drawn lines
- Examples
-
The solid lines show roads, and the dotted lines footpaths.
Entire, complete.
Usage- of time
- Examples
-
More examples (1)
Loose and undisciplined the soldier lay, / Or lost in drink and game the solid day; / Porches and schools , design'd for public good, / Uncover'd, and with scaffolds cumber'd stood, / Or nodded, threatening ruin- […]
Having all the geometrical dimensions; cubic.
Usage- Dated
- Examples
-
A solid foot contains 1,728 solid inches.
"What have plane figures to do with solid orbits? Solid bodies ought to be used for solid orbits."
More examples (1)
[…] the rules […] for measuring different superficial or solid figures will be found under the several heads: the two fundamental[…]
Measured as a single solid, as the volumes of individual pieces added together without any gaps.
Usage- of volumes of materials
Adverb
Solidly.
- Examples
-
More examples (2)
True, not ten of these mines were yielding rock worth hauling to a mill, but everybody said, "Wait till the shaft gets down where the ledge comes in solid, and then you will see!"
Hm-m-—These papers are complete—They make Mortimer and Matilda the legal guardians of Babs—ought to put me in more solid than ever with Miss Effie—and that home is good graft.
Suppose, then, a whole family got sick with this flu, and no help around, and winter setting in solid and cold three weeks early?
set a new high in baseball for the year, not only ending speculation as to when Durocher would be fired but putting him in more solid than ever before.
More examples (4)
She was telling Bobbie about the time when Boko Fittleworth was trying to ingratiate himself with your Uncle Percy, and you very sportingly offered to go and call your Uncle Percy a lot of offensive names, so that Boko, hovering outside the door, could come in and stick up for him, thus putting himself in solid with him.
If true, that means he deliberately risked American and French lives, and maybe the battle, in order to get in solid with Lafayette.
Then he drew a long-barreled revolver from under a coat that he had thrown aside and examined it carefully to see that the powder and ball were in solid and that none of the caps was missing
Soichi Yamazaki, chief analyst at Fukoku Capital Management said Nidec Corp's (6594.OS) earnings came in more solid than expected on Friday
Without spaces or hyphens.
Usage- not-comparable
- Examples
-
Many long-established compounds are set solid.
Noun
A substance in the fundamental state of matter that retains its size and shape without need of a container (as opposed to a liquid or gas).
A three-dimensional figure (as opposed to a surface, an area, or a curve).
A favor.
Usage- Informal
- Examples
-
Please do me a solid: lend me your car for one week.
I owe him; he did me a solid last year.
More examples (3)
Fortunately, the president of our illustrious institution has been after me for a year to get Francis Ford Coppola to speak at next year's commencement, and Francis owes me a solid.
You can't make a move till you have about a year in a precinct, but tell you what, stay in touch. Lots a people still owe me a solid or two on the Job.
Thomas had seemed ready to spend the night on the couch, and now he couldn't get out of here fast enough. Hopping up, I followed after him. "Thanks again, Thomas," I said, opening the door for him. "I owe you a solid."
An article of clothing which is of a single color throughout.
- Examples
-
I prefer solids over paisleys.
Food which is not liquid-based.
Usage- in-plural
- Examples
-
The doctor said I can't eat any solids four hours before the operation.
Adjective
characterized by good substantial quality
- Examples
-
solid comfort
a solid base hit
of definite shape and volume; firm; neither liquid nor gaseous
- Examples
-
ice is water in the solid state
entirely of one substance with no holes inside
- Antonyms
- Examples
-
a solid block of wood
of one substance or character throughout
- Examples
-
solid gold
carved out of solid rock
uninterrupted in space; having no gaps or breaks
- Examples
-
a solid line across the page
solid sheets of water
providing abundant nourishment
- Examples
-
a hearty meal
good solid food
More examples (2)
ate a substantial breakfast
four square meals a day
of good quality and condition; solidly built
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
a solid foundation
several substantial timber buildings
not soft or yielding to pressure
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
a firm mattress
the snow was firm underfoot
More examples (1)
solid ground
having length, breadth and thickness
- Examples
-
a cube is a solid figure with six sides
impenetrable for the eye
- Examples
-
solid blackness
financially dependable
- Examples
-
the bank is solid and will survive this attack
of a substantial character and not frivolous or superficial
- Examples
-
work of solid scholarship
based on solid facts
meriting respect or esteem
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
an upstanding member of the community
of the same color throughout
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
solid color
acting together as a single undiversified whole
- Examples
-
a solid voting bloc
Noun
matter that is solid at room temperature and pressure
- Broader terms
the state in which a substance has no tendency to flow under moderate stress; resists forces (such as compression) that tend to deform it; and retains a definite size and shape
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
a three-dimensional object, structurally rigid, usually resistant to changes of shape or volume