sol´id|ly

sol|id «SOL ihd», adjective, adverb, noun.

–adj.

1. not a liquid or a gas: »

Water becomes solid when it freezes. A block of stone is solid material…no matter where you put it, it keeps its shape (Beauchamp, Mayfield, and West).

2. not hollow: »

A bar of iron is solid; a pipe is hollow.

3. strongly put together; hard; firm: »

They were glad to leave the boat and put their feet on solid ground.

SYNONYM(S): compact, stable. See syn. under firm. (Cf. ↑firm)

4. alike throughout: »

solid gold. The cloth is a solid blue. There wasn't a light on; the house was in solid darkness.

5. a) firmly united: »

The country was solid for peace.

b) U.S. Informal. regular in attendance; steady in support: »

I'm solid for Mr. Peck every time (William Dean Howells).

6. serious; not superficial or trifling: »

a background of solid study. Chemistry and physics are solid subjects.

7. genuine; real: »

solid comfort; ... a debt of solid gratitude (Edward A. Freeman).

8. that can be depended on: »

He is a solid citizen.

9. having or based on good judgment; sound; sensible; intelligent: »

a solid book by a solid thinker, a solid argument. These men…have some of the solidest information available (Newsweek).

10. financially sound or strong: »

a solid business. “The gasoline market is the solidest in two yes,” says one Oklahoma refiner (Wall Street Journal).

11. whole; entire; complete: »

He spent a solid hour on his arithmetic.

12. undivided; continuous: »

a solid wall, a solid row of houses.

13. having length, breadth, and thickness. A sphere is a solid figure.

14. written without a hyphen or space: »

“Earthworm” is a solid word.

15. Printing. having the lines of type not separated by leads; having few open spaces.

16. U.S. Informal. on a friendly, favorable, or advantageous footing: »

to get in solid with one's employer.

17. thorough; downright; vigorous; substantial: »

a good solid dose of medicine, a good solid blow.

18. U.S. Slang. good; excellent; first-rate: »

“It sounds good!” he shouted. “Solid!” (New Yorker).

–adv.

Informal. full; completely: »

The train was packed solid with tourists. 86th Street, which had been parked solid the night before, was denuded of cars (New York Times).

–n.

1. a substance that is not a liquid or a gas such as iron, wood, or ice: »

In a solid, the molecules resist any force that tends to change their relative positions or distances (John C. Duncan).

2. a body that has length, breadth, and thickness. A cube is a solid.

╂[< Latin solidus. See etym. of doublets sol³ (Cf. ↑sol), soldo (Cf. ↑soldo), sou. (Cf. ↑sou)]

–sol´id|ly, adverb.

–sol´id|ness, noun.