stay

stay

stay¹ [stā]

n.

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

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

vt.

to brace or support with a stay or stays

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in stays

IN IRONS (see phrase under IRON)

stay² [stā]

n.

[MFr estaie < Frank * stakka: see STICK]

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. [pl.] Chiefly Brit. a corset stiffened as with whalebone

vt.

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

stay³ [stā]

vi.

stayed, staying [ME staien < Anglo-Fr estaier < OFr ester < L stare, to STAND]

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

vt.

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.)

6.

a) to remain through or during: often with out [to stay the week (out)]

b) to be able to last through [to stay the distance in a long race]

7. Archaic to await

n.

1.

a) a stopping or being stopped

b) a stop, halt, check, or pause

2. a postponement or delay in legal action or proceedings [a stay of execution]

3.

a) the action of remaining or continuing in a place for a time

b) time spent in a place [a long stay in the hospital]

4. Informal ability to continue or endure

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☆ stay put

Informal to remain in place or unchanged

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stay the course

to continue in some effort or course of action to its end, in spite of difficulties or obstacles; persevere

SYN.- STAY¹, the general term, implies a continuing in a specified place [stay there until you hear from me ]; REMAIN specifically suggests a staying behind while others go [he alone remained at home ]; WAIT suggests a staying in anticipation of something [wait for me at the library ]; ABIDE, now somewhat archaic, implies a staying fixed for a relatively long period, as in a settled residence [he came for a visit and has been abiding here since ]; TARRY¹ and LINGER imply a staying on after the required or expected time for departure, LINGER esp. implying that this is deliberate, as from reluctance to leave [we tarried in town two days; he lingered at his sweetheart's door ] –ANT. GO², LEAVE², DEPART