—adj. (solider, solidest)
1 firm and stable in shape; not liquid or fluid (solid food; water becomes solid at 0°C).
2 of such material throughout, not hollow or containing cavities (a solid sphere).
3 of the same substance throughout (solid silver).
4 of strong material or construction or build, not flimsy or slender etc.
5 a having three dimensions. b concerned with solids (solid geometry).
6 a sound and reliable; genuine (solid arguments). b staunch and dependable (a solid Tory).
7 sound but without any special flair etc. (a solid piece of work).
8 financially sound.
9 (of time) uninterrupted, continuous (spend four solid hours on it).
10 a unanimous, undivided (support has been pretty solid so far). b (foll. by for) united in favour of.
11 (of printing) without spaces between the lines etc.
12 (of a tyre) without a central air space.
13 (foll. by with) US colloq. on good terms.
14 Austral. & NZ colloq. severe, unreasonable.
—n.
1 a solid substance or body.
2 (in pl.) solid food.
3 Geom. a body or magnitude having three dimensions.
Phrases and idioms:
solid angle an angle formed by planes etc. meeting at a point. solid colour colour covering the whole of an object, without a pattern etc. solid-drawn (of a tube etc.) pressed or drawn out from a solid bar of metal. solid solution solid material containing one substance uniformly distributed in another. solid state the state of matter that retains its boundaries without support. solid-state adj. using the electronic properties of solids (e.g. a semiconductor) to replace those of valves.
Derivatives:
solidly adv. solidness n.
Etymology: ME f. OF solide f. L solidus, rel. to salvus safe, sollus entire
Useful english dictionary. 2012.