still

Still is a word with several distinct uses in English. As an adjective and adverb, it denotes a lack of motion or sound, or continuation in spite of change: the lake was still; he stood still; the project is still under consideration. As a verb, still means to quiet or calm something, or to suppress activity.

The noun still refers to a distillation apparatus used to separate liquids by heating and collecting vapors. The term is particularly associated with the production of spirits. Common forms include pot stills and continuous or column stills, which differ in design and process efficiency.

Etymology: Still derives from Old English stille meaning quiet, with cognates in other Germanic languages. The sense developments have extended to motionlessness and to the idea of bringing something to rest, leading to its various modern usages.

In language, still occurs as a concessive or temporal adverb, e.g., Still, I disagree, and as a strengthening or contrasting adverb in phrases like he still loves her. It also appears in compound terms such as still-life, where the modifier conveys the sense of motionlessness associated with the subject.

Beyond language, Still is used as a surname and, in some regions, as a toponym or component of proper names. The term also appears as a title in arts and media, with multiple works bearing the word Still.