stay

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

(verb)

  1. An example of stay is for a child to visit his grandparents for a week.
  2. An example of stay is to remain working with a company for a number of years.

The definition of a stay is a visit somewhere.

(noun)

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

YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2013 by LoveToKnow Corp.

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

  1. anything used as a support, or prop
  2. a strip of stiffening material used in a corset, the collar of a shirt, etc.
  3. Chiefly Brit. a corset stiffened as with whalebone

Origin: MFr estaie < Frank *stakka: see stick

transitive verb

  1. to support, or prop up
  2. to strengthen, comfort, or sustain in mind or spirit
  3. to cause (something) to rest on, upon, or in for support

intransitive verb stayed, staying

  1. to continue in the place or condition specified; remain; keep: to stay at home, to stay healthy
  2. to live, dwell, or reside, esp. temporarily (for the time specified)
  3. to stand still; stop; halt
  4. to pause; tarry; wait; delay
  5. Informal to continue or endure; last: to stay with a project
  6. Informal to keep up (with another contestant in a race, etc.)
  7. Archaic to cease doing something
  8. Archaic to make a stand
  9. 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

  1. to stop, halt, or check
  2. to hinder, impede, restrain, or detain
  3. to postpone or delay (legal action or proceedings)
  4. Rare to quell or allay (strife, etc.)
  5. 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
  6. Archaic to await

noun

    1. a stopping or being stopped
    2. a stop, halt, check, or pause
  1. 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
  2. Informal ability to continue or endure

See stay in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb stayed stayed, stay·ing, stays
verb, intransitive
  1. To continue to be in a place or condition: stay home; stay calm.
  2. To remain or sojourn as a guest or lodger: stayed at a motel.
  3. To stop moving; halt.
  4. To wait; pause.
  5. To endure or persist: stayed with the original plan.
  6. To keep up in a race or contest: tried to stay with the lead runner.
  7. Games To meet a bet in poker without raising it.
  8. To stand one's ground; remain firm.
  9. Archaic To cease from a specified activity.
verb, transitive
  1. To stop or halt; check.
  2. To postpone; delay.
  3. To delay or stop the effect of (an order, for example) by legal action or mandate: stay a prisoner's execution.
  4. To satisfy or appease temporarily: stayed his anger.
  5. To remain during: stayed the week with my parents; stayed the duration of the game.
  6. 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
  1. The act of halting; check.
  2. The act of coming to a halt.
  3. A brief period of residence or visiting.
  4. 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
  1. To brace, support, or prop up.
  2. To strengthen or sustain mentally or spiritually.
  3. To rest or fix on for support.
noun
  1. A support or brace.
  2. A strip of bone, plastic, or metal, used to stiffen a garment or part, such as a corset or shirt collar.
  3. stays A corset.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English staien

Origin: , from Old French estaiier

Origin: , from estaie, a support

Origin: , of Germanic origin

.

noun
  1. Nautical A heavy rope or cable, usually of wire, used as a brace or support for a mast or spar.
  2. A rope used to steady, guide, or brace.
tr. & intr.v. stayed stayed, stay·ing, stays
Nautical
To put (a ship) on the opposite tack or to come about.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old English stǽg

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