stone-still

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English stone-stille, stonstyll, stonstyl, stane still, equivalent to stone +‎ still (adjective).

Adjective

stone-still (comparative more stone-still, superlative most stone-still)

1. As still as a stone; perfectly still or silent; motionless
   • 2011, Suraya Sadeed, Damien Lewis, Forbidden Lessons in a Kabul Guesthouse:

     Sekander stared out of the window with a stone-still face.

   • 2015, Elisha Cohn, Still Life:

     She lay Stone-still, and the long darkness flow'd away With muffled pulses.

   • 2015, Sara Humphreys, Vampires Never Cry Wolf:

     She remained stone-still, ready for anything, sending her heightened senses in search of who or what was encroaching on her personal space.

Etymology 2

From Middle English ston-stille, stone-stille, stonstil, stane-still, equivalent to stone +‎ still (adverb).

Adverb

stone-still (comparative more stone-still, superlative most stone-still)

1. In a stone-still manner
   • 2011, Jean Craighead George, How to Talk to Your Animals:

     Around 6:00 A.M., after an entire night of abuse, the omega walked to the ridge and stood stone-still.

See also

• stone-cold