stay
1
[ stey ]
/ steɪ /
verb (used without object), stayed or staid, stay·ing.
verb (used with object), stayed or staid, stay·ing.
noun
Idioms for stay
stay the course,
to persevere; endure to completion.
Origin of stay
1
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
British Dictionary definitions for stay the course (1 of 3)
stay
1
/ (steɪ) /
verb
noun
See also
stay out
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 the course (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
See also
stays (def. 1)
Word Origin for stay
C16: from Old French
estaye, of Germanic origin; compare
stay ³
British Dictionary definitions for stay the course (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 the course (1 of 2)
stay the course
Hold or persevere to the end, as in No, he's not resigning; he's going to stay the course. This metaphoric expression, alluding to a horse running an entire race, was first recorded in 1916.
Idioms and Phrases with stay the course (2 of 2)
stay