Adjacent Words

Steward definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

STEWARD, n. [G., a room. The steward was then originally a chamberlain or a butler.]
1. A man employed in great families to manage the domestic concerns, superintend the other servants, collect the rents or income, keep the accounts, etc. See Gen
15:2 and
43:19.
2. An officer of state; as lord high steward; steward of the household, etc.
3. In colleges, an officer who provides food for the students and superintends the concerns of the kitchen.
4. In a ship of war, an officer who is appointed by the purser to distribute provisions to the officers and crew. In other ships, a man who superintends the provisions and liquors, and supplies the table.
5. In Scripture and theology, a minister of Christ, whose duty is to dispense the provisions of the gospel, to preach its doctrines and administer its ordinances.
It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4.
STEWARD, v.t. To manage as a steward. [Not in use.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: someone who manages property or other affairs for someone else
2: the ship's officer who is in charge of provisions and dining arrangements
3: an attendant on an airplane [syn: steward, flight attendant]
4: a union member who is elected to represent fellow workers in negotiating with management [syn: shop steward, steward]
5: one having charge of buildings or grounds or animals [syn: custodian, keeper, steward]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English st?weard, from st?, stig hall, sty + weard ward — more at sty, ward Date: before 12th century 1. one employed in a large household or estate to manage domestic concerns (as the supervision of servants, collection of rents, and keeping of accounts) 2. shop steward 3. a fiscal agent 4. a. an employee on a ship, airplane, bus, or train who manages the provisioning of food and attends passengers b. one appointed to supervise the provision and distribution of food and drink in an institution 5. one who actively directs affairs ; manager II. verb Date: 1621 transitive verb to act as a steward for ; manage intransitive verb to perform the duties of a steward

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. 1 a passengers' attendant on a ship or aircraft or train. 2 an official appointed to keep order or supervise arrangements at a meeting or show or demonstration etc. 3 = shop steward. 4 a person responsible for supplies of food etc. for a college or club etc. 5 a person employed to manage another's property. 6 Brit. the title of several officers of State or the royal household (Lord High Steward). --v.tr. act as a steward of (will steward the meeting). Derivatives: stewardship n. Etymology: OE stiweard f. stig prob. = house, hall + weard WARD

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Steward Stew"ard, n. [OE. stiward, AS. st[=i]weard, stigweard, literally, a sty ward; stigu sty + weard warden, guardian, -- his first duty having been probably to attend to the domestic animals. [root]164. See Sty pen for swine, Ward.] 1. A man employed in a large family, or on a large estate, to manage the domestic concerns, supervise other servants, collect the rents or income, keep accounts, and the like. Worthy to be stewards of rent and land. --Chaucer. They came near to the steward of Joseph's house. --Gen. xliii. 19. As good stewards of the manifold grace of God. --1 Pet. iv. 10. 2. A person employed in a hotel, or a club, or on board a ship, to provide for the table, superintend the culinary affairs, etc. In naval vessels, the captain's steward, wardroom steward, steerage steward, warrant officers steward, etc., are petty officers who provide for the messes under their charge. 3. A fiscal agent of certain bodies; as, a steward in a Methodist church. 4. In some colleges, an officer who provides food for the students and superintends the kitchen; also, an officer who attends to the accounts of the students. 5. In Scotland, a magistrate appointed by the crown to exercise jurisdiction over royal lands. --Erskine. Lord high steward, formerly, the first officer of the crown; afterward, an officer occasionally appointed, as for a coronation, or upon the trial of a peer. [Eng.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Steward Stew"ard, v. t. To manage as a steward. [Obs.]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(stewards) 1. A steward is a man who works on a ship, plane, or train, looking after passengers and serving meals to them. N-COUNT 2. A steward is a man or woman who helps to organize a race, march, or other public event. N-COUNT see also shop steward

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

stu'-erd ('ish `al bayith (Ge 43:16,19; 44:1; 1Ki 16:9), ha-meltsar (Da 1:11), ha-cokhen (Isa 22:15)):

1. Old Testament Usage:

In the King James Version the word "steward" is found in Ge 15:2; 1Ch 28:1, in addition to the above. The American Standard Revised Version renders Ge 15:2 as "possessor," and 1Ch 28:1 "rulers."

The phrase ben-mesheq in Ge 15:2 is best rendered "son of acquisition," hence, "heir." But this is disputed. Skinner in the ICC on Ge regards the text as hopelessly corrupt, and offers no solution of the difficulty. In the other passages, the phrase 'ish `al bayith is conveniently translated "steward," though literally it is "man over the house." The word ha-meltsar in Da 1:11 is translated in the King James Version as a proper noun. This is certainly a mistake. The margin gives "the steward," and this is followed in the Revised Version (British and American). A better rendering perhaps would be "overseer," as this man seemed to have the superintendence of the training and feeding of the young men until they were fitted to enter the king's service. He was thus rather a steward of persons than of property (see MELZAR). In Isa 22:15 Shebna is described in the text as "treasurer," but in the margin as "steward," and seems to combine the ideas in both the words "treasurer" and "steward." Shebna was thus one of the highest officials, having charge of the city's funds, and of administering them for the city's benefit.

Though the word for "steward" occurs but once in that sense, the idea is one familiar to the Old Testament. Eliezer of Damascus was Abraham's slave and trusted steward. Heseems to have had the oversight of all his affairs and was entrusted with the important duty of getting a wife for Isaac. He apparently had charge over the family of his master as well as his property. Whether Isaac had such a steward or not is nowhere stated, but it is practically certain that he had. Jacob seems to have been Laban's steward for a time, as he apparently had full charge of the flocks and herds of his master. Joseph was practically Potiphar's steward, and when he became Pharaoh's chief minister, he himself had a steward over his own house (Ge 39:4,5; 44:1,4). The king Elah in his brief reign of two years had a steward in charge of his household (1Ki 16:9). The same was doubtless true of all the kings, and it may be safely inferred that every household of distinction or of sufficient wealth had a steward in charge. The functions of this officer seem at times to have included the care of the children or minors, as well as of the property. Sometimes he was a slave, sometimes a freedman.

2. In the New Testament:

epitropos, oikonomos. These two terms denote similar positions. The exact difference cannot be clearly defined, as they are sometimes almost synonymous. The two are found together in Ga 4:2. Some scholars say they are used synonymously, others that the first word is a more general term including the latter. Lightfoot and Ellicott think that the former refers rather to the guardianship of persons, the child's legal representative, while the latter word refers to the head servant appointed to manage the household or property (compare 2 Macc 11:1; 13:2). There would, however, not be any such hard-and-fast line between their respective duties; these might vary with every master, or might be combined in one individual.

(1) In the Gospels.

The idea seems to have been perfectly familiar to the people in Christ's day. Every household of distinction seems to have had a steward in charge, Herod's steward was named Chuzas, and his wife, Joanna, followed and ministered to Jesus (Lu 8:3). The word epitropos used here is held by some scholars to imply that he had charge of the education of Herod's children. This is very probable but not certain. In the parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard, it is the steward who pays the laborers at the close of the day (Mt 20:8). The parable of the Unjust Steward best illustrates the practice. This steward was a freeman, had full charge of his master's affairs and could use them to his own advantage if he chose, was fully accountable to his master and had to render an account when called upon. If unfaithful he was usually discharged at once (Lu 16:1-13). The parables of the Minae or Pounds (Lu 19:12-27), the Talents (Mt 25:14-30), and the Wicked Husbandmen (Mt 21:33-46) teach similar truths. In His warning to His disciples Jesus seems to imply that they were to act as stewards in His absence (Lu 12:42). According to this passage a steward's task was to manage all the affairs of his master, attend to receipts and expenditures, and portion out to each one of the household what should come to him. The disciples were left thus in charge of His gospel and were to use this gift to the best advantage in behalf of others until His return. In Joh 2:8 the term "ruler" is given in the margin as "steward." The one referred to here was really director of the feast rather than steward, though in a sense charged with the responsibility of conducting it. Many stewards were no doubt slaves, as is implied in Mt 24:45, while others were freedmen (Lu 16:1-21).

(2) In the Epistles.

The application of this term is largely confined to the ministry of the gospel. Paul and his fellow-laborers regarded themselves as stewards of the mysteries of God (1Co 4:1,2). The idea is that he take scrupulous care of that which was entrusted to him, and give it out to others faithfully and as directed by his master Jesus Christ. A bishop or overseer is to be as God's steward (Tit 1:7). Peter considered himself and all other Christians as "stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1Pe 4:10). The prevalence of the custom of having guardians and stewards over children in their minority is shown in Ga 4:2. The difference in meaning of the two words used here is stated above. In Romans 16:23 Erastus is called the oikonomos of the city. This is best translated "treasurer." Erastus was thus an influential member of the community of Corinth and evidently a faithful Christian.

James Josiah Reeve

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Major-domo. 2. Manciple, purveyor.

Moby Thesaurus

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