stay

Stay is defined as to spend time in a place or to continue to be in the same condition.

(verb)

The definition of a stay is a visit somewhere.

(noun)

An example of stay is a week long trip to the Niagara Falls area.

See stay in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

a heavy rope or cable, usually of wire, used as a brace or support, as for a mast of a ship; guy

Origin: ME staie < OE stæg, akin to Du stag < IE *stāk-, to stand, place < base *sta-: see stand

transitive verb

to brace or support with a stay or stays

noun

Origin: MFr estaie < Frank *stakka: see stick

transitive verb

intransitive verb stayed, staying

to continue in the place or condition specified; remain; keep: to stay at home, to stay healthy
to live, dwell, or reside, esp. temporarily (for the time specified)
to stand still; stop; halt
to pause; tarry; wait; delay
Informal to continue or endure; last: to stay with a project
Informal to keep up (with another contestant in a race, etc.)
Archaic to cease doing something
Archaic to make a stand
☆ Poker to remain in a hand by meeting the bet or raise

Origin: ME staien < Anglo-Fr estaier < OFr ester < L stare, to stand

transitive verb

to stop, halt, or check
to hinder, impede, restrain, or detain
to postpone or delay (legal action or proceedings)
Rare to quell or allay (strife, etc.)
to satisfy or appease for a time the pangs or cravings of (thirst, appetite, etc.)
1. to remain through or during: often with out: to stay the week (out)
2. to be able to last through: to stay the distance in a long race
Archaic to await

noun

1. a stopping or being stopped
2. a stop, halt, check, or pause
a postponement or delay in legal action or proceedings: a stay of execution
1. the action of remaining or continuing in a place for a time
2. time spent in a place: a long stay in the hospital
Informal ability to continue or endure

See stay in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb stayed stayed, stay·ing, stays

verb, intransitive

verb, transitive

To stop or halt; check.
To postpone; delay.
To delay or stop the effect of (an order, for example) by legal action or mandate: stay a prisoner's execution.
To satisfy or appease temporarily: stayed his anger.
To remain during: stayed the week with my parents; stayed the duration of the game.
To wait for; await: “I will not stay thy questions. Let me go;/Or if thou follow me, do not believe/But I shall do thee mischief in the wood” (Shakespeare).

noun

The act of halting; check.
The act of coming to a halt.
A brief period of residence or visiting.
A suspension or postponement of a legal action or an execution: granted a stay to the prisoner's execution.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English steien

Origin: , from Old French ester, esteir

Origin: , from Latin stāre; see stā- in Indo-European roots

transitive verb stayed stayed, stay·ing, stays