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Origin and history of still

still(adj.)

Old English stille "motionless, stable, fixed, stationary," from Proto-Germanic *stilli- (source also of Old Frisian, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch stille, Dutch stil, Old High German stilli, German still), from suffixed form of PIE root *stel- "to put, stand, put in order," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place.

The meaning "quiet, calm, gentle, silent" emerged in later Old English. Used as a conjunction from 1722. In reference to a child, it has been euphemistic for "dead" in stillborn, etc. Still small voice is from KJV:

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. [I Kings xix.11-13; Coverdale, 1535, had "And after the fyre came there a styll softe hyssinge"]

still(n.1)

"apparatus for separating volatile matters and recondensing them," 1530s, from Middle English stillen "to distill, to fall by drops, trickle" (c. 1300), a shortening of distillen (see distill). Especially in reference to an apparatus in which liquors are distilled; also formerly sometimes "a distillery" (1530s).

still(v.)

Middle English stillen, from Old English stillan "to be still, have rest;" also transitive, "to quiet, calm, appease; to stop, restrain," from stille "at rest" (see still (adj.)). Cognate with Old Saxon stillian, Old Norse stilla, Dutch, Old High German, German stillen. Related: Stilled; stilling.

still(n.2)

c. 1200, "a calm," from still (adj.). The sense of "quietness, the silent part" is from c. 1600 (in still of the night). The meaning "a photograph" (as distinguished from a motion picture) is attested from 1916.

still(adv.)

"even now, even then, yet" (as in still standing there), 1530s, from still (adj.) "fixed, stationary," from its sense of "at all times, under any circumstance" (c. 1300), which evolved out of the meaning "without change or cessation, continual" (c. 1200).

Old English and Middle English had such expressions as lie still, sit still, stand still, "without moving, silent(ly) and noiseless(ly)," in which still could be adjective or adverb.

The sense of "in an increased or increasing degree" (as in still more) is from 1590s.

also from 1530s

Entries linking to still

distill(v.)

also distil, late 14c., distillen, "to let fall in drops" (transitive); early 15c., "to drop, trickle, drip, fall in drops" (intransitive), from Old French distiller (14c.), from Latin distillare "trickle down in minute drops," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + stillare "to drip, drop," from stilla "drop," which is of uncertain origin, perhaps from a PIE root *sti-. De Vaan compares Greek stile "drop;" Lithuanian styri "to become stiff," Old Norse stira "to be rigid, stiff," but has doubts about all of them. From late 14c. as "obtain or extract by distillation;" from c. 1400 as "subject to distillation." Related: Distilled; distilling.

stillborn(adj.)

"dead at birth," 1590s, from still (adj.) in the euphemistic sense of "dead" + born. As a noun from 1913; still (n.) in this sense is attested from 1863 in the jargon of the funeral business.

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moving
late 14c., "that moves," present-participle adjective from move (v.). From 1650s as "that causes motion;" 1590s as "that touches the feelings." Moving picture in the cinematographic sense is by 1896 (earlier in reference to the zoetrope, 1709). Moving Day is by 1832, American Eng
calm
late 14c., of the sea, "windless, without motion or agitation;" of a wind, "light, gentle," perhaps via Old French calme "tranquility, quiet," or directly from Old Italian calma "quiet, fair weather," which probably is from Late Latin cauma "heat of the mid-day sun" (in Italy, a
quiet
c. 1300, "freedom from disturbance or conflict; calm, stillness," from Old French quiete "rest, repose, tranquility" and directly from Latin quies (genitive quietis) "a lying still, rest, repose, peace" (from PIE root *kweie- "to rest, be quiet"). From late 14c. as "inactivity, r
subsist
1540s, "to exist;" c. 1600, "retain the existing state," from French subsister and directly from Latin subsistere "to stand still...stand, take position; abide, hold out," from sub "under, up to" (see sub-) + sistere "to assume a standing position, stand still..., remain; set, place, cause to stand still" (from PIE *si-st-, reduplicated form of root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm...
nose-ring
This ornament has been worn in the from very ancient times, and is still in use among the primitive peoples of the Levant...In the Levant it is commonly through one of the wings of the nose; but the fashion of passing it through the septum is still...
brute
Power is power, my boy, and still Marks a man,—God's gift magnific, exercised for good or ill....True, he murdered half a village, so his own death came to pass; Still, for size and beauty, cunning, courage—ah, the brute...
encore
1712, from French encore "still, yet, again, also, furthermore" (12c.), generally explained as being from Vulgar Latin phrase...*hinc ad horam "from then to this hour," or (in) hanc horam "(to) this hour" (Italian ancora "again, still, yet" is said...
soothe
Middle English sothen, from Old English soðian "show to be true, bear witness, offer confirmation" (senses now obsolete), from soð "true" (see sooth). The sense of "quiet, comfort, restore to tranquility," in reference to a person or animal, is by 1690s, via the notion of "to ass
change
c. 1200, "to alter, make different, change" (transitive); early 13c. as "to substitute one for another;" mid-13c. as "to make (something) other than what it was, cause to turn or pass from one state to another;" from late 13c. as "to become different, be altered" (intransitive),
agitate
1580s, "to disturb," from Latin agitatus, past participle of agitare "to put in constant or violent motion, drive onward, impel," frequentative of agere "to set in motion, drive, drive forward," figuratively "incite to action; keep in movement, stir up" (from PIE root *ag- "to dr

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