stay

[ stey ]

/ steɪ /

verb (used without object), stayed or staid, stay·ing.

to spend some time in a place, in a situation, with a person or group, etc.: He stayed in the army for ten years.

to continue to be as specified, as to condition or state: to stay clean.

to hold out or endure, as in a contest or task (followed by with or at): Please stay with the project as long as you can.

to keep up, as with a competitor (followed by with).

Poker. to continue in a hand by matching an ante, bet, or raise.

to stop or halt.

to pause or wait, as for a moment, before proceeding or continuing; linger or tarry.

Archaic. to cease or desist.

Archaic. to stand firm.

verb (used with object), stayed or staid, stay·ing.

to stop or halt.

to hold back, detain, or restrain, as from going further.

to suspend or delay (actions, proceedings, etc.).

to appease or satisfy temporarily the cravings of (the stomach, appetite, etc.).

to remain through or during (a period of time): We stayed two days in San Francisco.

to remain to the end of; remain beyond (usually followed by out).

Archaic. to await.

noun

the act of stopping or being stopped.

a stop, halt, or pause; a standstill.

a sojourn or temporary residence: a week's stay in Miami.

Law. a stoppage or arrest of action; suspension of a judicial proceeding: The governor granted a stay of execution.

Informal. staying power; endurance.

Idioms for stay

stay the course, to persevere; endure to completion.

Origin of stay

1400–50; late Middle English staien < Anglo-French estaier, Old French estai-, stem of ester < Latin stāre to stand

Words nearby stay

stave off, staves, stavesacre, stavropol, staw, stay, stay out, stay over, stay put, stay stitching, stay the course

Definition for stay (2 of 3)

stay ²

[ stey ]

/ steɪ /

noun

something used to support or steady a thing; prop; brace.

a flat strip of steel, plastic, etc., used especially for stiffening corsets, collars, etc.

a long rod running between opposite walls, heads or sides of a furnace, boiler, tank, or the like, to strengthen them against internal pressures.

stays, Chiefly British. a corset.

verb (used with object), stayed, stay·ing.

to support, prop, or hold up (sometimes followed by up).

to sustain or strengthen mentally or spiritually.

to rest on (something, as a foundation or base) for support.

to cause something to become fixed or to rest on (a support, foundation, base, etc.)

Origin of stay

1505–15; apparently same as stay³ (compare Old French estayer to hold in place, support, perhaps derivative of Middle English steye stay³)

Definition for stay (3 of 3)

stay ³

[ stey ]

/ steɪ /

Chiefly Nautical

noun

any of various strong ropes or wires for steadying masts, funnels, etc.

verb (used with object), stayed, stay·ing.

to support or secure with a stay or stays: to stay a mast.

to put (a ship) on the other tack.

verb (used without object), stayed, stay·ing.

(of a ship) to change to the other tack.

Origin of stay

before 1150; Middle English stey(e), Old English stæg; cognate with German Stag

Example sentences from the Web for stay

Models in Israel will have to maintain a BMI of 18.5 or higher if they want to stay employed.

How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models |Carrie Arnold |January 8, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
Ney said McDonnell needs to “keep a stiff lip” and stay in close contact with family members.

Abramoff’s Advice for Virginia’s New Jailhouse Guv |Tim Mak, Jackie Kucinich |January 7, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
Higher courts, including the Supreme Court had refused to intercede, and the stay was to expire tonight.

The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally Over |Jay Michaelson |January 5, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
“Stay in formation,” a sergeant from the ceremonial unit said over a public address system to the cops along the street.

Funeral Protest Is Too Much for NYPD Union Boss |Michael Daly |January 5, 2015 |DAILY BEAST

Critics accused Foster of giving Duke a payoff to stay out of the race; that was never proven.

The Louisiana Racists Who Courted Steve Scalise |Jason Berry |January 3, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
No, Peggy; tis irksome to stay here under the conditions of things, but I see not how it can be helped.

Peggy Owen at Yorktown |Lucy Foster Madison
During his stay at the Cape numerous volunteers offered to accompany him to Sydney, many from on board the ships in the bay.

The Logbooks of the Lady Nelson |Ida Lee
It would kill the lad to bring him up, and as he is my patient, I have told him to stay below.

Peter Trawl |W. H. G. Kingston
No, Pre Flix had not known, but he certainly did come on purpose and on purpose he meant to stay.

A Tatter of Scarlet |S. R. Crockett
He refused to stay all night, and set off in the dark, with Allen's thanks ringing in his ears for what he had done.

Three Young Ranchmen |Ralph Bonehill

British Dictionary definitions for stay (1 of 3)

stay ¹

/ (steɪ) /

verb

(intr) to continue or remain in a certain place, position, etc to stay outside

(copula) to continue to be; remain to stay awake

(intr often foll by at) to reside temporarily, esp as a guest to stay at a hotel

(tr) to remain for a specified period to stay the weekend

(intr) Scot and Southern African to reside permanently or habitually; live

archaic to stop or cause to stop

(intr) to wait, pause, or tarry

(tr) to delay or hinder

(tr)

to discontinue or suspend (a judicial proceeding)
to hold in abeyance or restrain from enforcing (an order, decree, etc)

to endure (something testing or difficult, such as a race) a horse that stays the course

(intr; usually foll by with) to keep pace (with a competitor in a race, etc)

(intr) poker to raise one's stakes enough to stay in a round

(tr) to hold back or restrain to stay one's anger

(tr) to satisfy or appease (an appetite, etc) temporarily

(tr) archaic to quell or suppress

(intr) archaic to stand firm

stay put See put (def. 18)

noun

the act of staying or sojourning in a place or the period during which one stays

the act of stopping or restraining or state of being stopped, etc

the suspension of a judicial proceeding, etc stay of execution

Word Origin for stay

C15 staien, from Anglo-French estaier, to stay, from Old French ester to stay, from Latin stāre to stand

British Dictionary definitions for stay (2 of 3)

stay ²

/ (steɪ) /

noun

anything that supports or steadies, such as a prop or buttress

a thin strip of metal, plastic, bone, etc, used to stiffen corsets, etc

verb (tr) archaic

(often foll by up) to prop or hold

(often foll by up) to comfort or sustain

(foll by on or upon) to cause to rely or depend

Word Origin for stay

C16: from Old French estaye, of Germanic origin; compare stay ³

British Dictionary definitions for stay (3 of 3)

stay ³

/ (steɪ) /

noun

a rope, cable, or chain, usually one of a set, used for bracing uprights, such as masts, funnels, flagpoles, chimneys, etc; guy See also stays (def. 2), stays (def. 3)

Word Origin for stay

Old English stæg; related to Old Norse stag, Middle Low German stach, Norwegian stagle wooden post

Idioms and Phrases with stay

stay

In addition to the idioms beginning with stay

staying power
stay over
stay put
stay the course
stay with

also see:

here to stay
(stay) in touch
(stay on one's) right side
should have stood (stayed) in bed
stick (stay) with

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

stay

verb (used without object), stayed or staid, stay·ing.

verb (used with object), stayed or staid, stay·ing.

noun

Idioms for stay

Origin of stay

Words nearby stay

Definition for stay (2 of 3)

noun

verb (used with object), stayed, stay·ing.

Origin of stay

Definition for stay (3 of 3)

noun

verb (used with object), stayed, stay·ing.

verb (used without object), stayed, stay·ing.

Origin of stay

Example sentences from the Web for stay

British Dictionary definitions for stay (1 of 3)

verb

noun

Word Origin for stay

British Dictionary definitions for stay (2 of 3)

noun

verb (tr) archaic

Word Origin for stay

British Dictionary definitions for stay (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for stay

Idioms and Phrases with stay

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

stay

verb (used without object), stayed or staid, stay·ing.

verb (used with object), stayed or staid, stay·ing.

noun

Idioms for stay

Origin of stay

Words nearby stay

Definition for stay (2 of 3)

noun

verb (used with object), stayed, stay·ing.

Origin of stay

Definition for stay (3 of 3)

noun

verb (used with object), stayed, stay·ing.

verb (used without object), stayed, stay·ing.

Origin of stay

Words related to stay

Example sentences from the Web for stay

British Dictionary definitions for stay (1 of 3)

verb

noun

Word Origin for stay

British Dictionary definitions for stay (2 of 3)

noun

verb (tr) archaic

Word Origin for stay

British Dictionary definitions for stay (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for stay

Idioms and Phrases with stay