stay1/steɪ/USA pronunciationv.,stayed, or staid,stay•ing,
to remain over a length of time, as in a place or situation:[no object]The children wanted to stay up late.
to dwell for a while; reside; lodge:[no object]to stay at a friend's apartment.
to pause briefly:[no object]Stay inside until the taxi comes.
to remain as; go on being: [~ + adjective][usually not: be + ~-ing]Try to stay calm.[~ + noun]How long will he stay governor if he keeps making such mistakes?
to hold out or endure to the end, as in a contest, difficult task, etc.: [no object]If you stay with the project you'll have a good chance of finishing it.[~ + object]We need someone who will stay the course and not quit.
to stop or halt:[~ + object]He stayed his hand before striking the child.
stay1(stā),USA pronunciationv.,stayed or staid, stay•ing,n. v.i.
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 (fol. by with or at):Please stay with the project as long as you can.
to keep up, as with a competitor (fol. by with).
Games[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.
v.t.
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 fol. by out).
[Archaic.]to await.
stay the course, to persevere; endure to completion.
n.
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.
Lawa stoppage or arrest of action; suspension of a judicial proceeding:The governor granted a stay of execution.
[Informal.]staying power; endurance.
Latin stāre to stand
Anglo-French estaier, Old French estai-, stem of ester
late Middle English staien 1400–50
stay2(stā),USA pronunciationn., v.,stayed, stay•ing. n.
Buildingsomething used to support or steady a thing; prop; brace.
Clothinga flat strip of steel, plastic, etc., used esp. for stiffening corsets, collars, etc.
Buildinga long rod running between opposite walls, heads or sides of a furnace, boiler, tank, or the like, to strengthen them against internal pressures.
Clothing, British Terms, British Termsstays, [Chiefly Brit.]a corset.
v.t.
to support, prop, or hold up (sometimes fol. 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.)
apparently same as stay3 (compare Old French estayer to hold in place, support, perh. derivative of Middle English steyestay3) 1505–15
stay3(stā),USA pronunciationn., v.,stayed, stay•ing.[Chiefly Naut.] n.
Nautical, Naval Termsany of various strong ropes or wires for steadying masts, funnels, etc.
Nautical, Naval Termsin stays, (of a fore-and-aft-rigged vessel) heading into the wind with sails shaking, as in coming about.
v.t.
Nautical, Naval Termsto support or secure with a stay or stays:to stay a mast.
Nautical, Naval Termsto put (a ship) on the other tack.
v.i.
Nautical, Naval Terms(of a ship) to change to the other tack.
bef. 1150; Middle English stey(e), Old English stæg; cognate with German Stag