stay meaning and definition

STAY noun

Definition of stay (noun)

1. continuing or remaining in a place or state
   • "they had a nice stay in Paris"; "a lengthy hospital stay"; "a four-month stay in bankruptcy court"
2. the state of inactivity following an interruption
   • "the negotiations were in arrest"; "held them in check"; "during the halt he got some lunch"; "the momentary stay enabled him to escape the blow"; "he spent the entire stop in his seat"
   • synonyms: arrest, check, halt, hitch, stop, stoppage
3. a judicial order forbidding some action until an event occurs or the order is lifted
   • "the Supreme Court has the power to stay an injunction pending an appeal to the whole Court"
4. a thin strip of metal or bone that is used to stiffen a garment (e.g. a corset)
5. (nautical) brace consisting of a heavy rope or wire cable used as a support for a mast or spar

STAY verb

Definition of stay (verb)

1. stay the same; remain in a certain state
   • "The dress remained wet after repeated attempts to dry it"; "rest assured"; "stay alone"; "He remained unmoved by her tears"; "The bad weather continued for another week"
   • synonyms: remain, rest
   • antonym: change
2. stay put (in a certain place)
   • "We are staying in Detroit; we are not moving to Cincinnati"; "Stay put in the corner here!"; "Stick around and you will learn something!"
   • synonyms: stay put, stick, stick around
   • antonym: move
3. dwell
   • "You can stay with me while you are in town"; "stay a bit longer--the day is still young"
   • synonyms: abide, bide
4. continue in a place, position, or situation
   • "After graduation, she stayed on in Cambridge as a student adviser"; "Stay with me, please"; "despite student protests, he remained Dean for another year"; "She continued as deputy mayor for another year"
   • synonyms: continue, remain, stay on
5. remain behind
   • "I had to stay at home and watch the children"
   • antonym: depart
6. stop or halt
   • "Please stay the bloodshed!"
   • synonyms: delay, detain
7. stay behind
   • "The smell stayed in the room"; "The hostility remained long after they made up"
   • synonyms: persist, remain
8. hang on during a trial of endurance
   • "ride out the storm"
   • synonyms: last out, outride, ride out
9. stop a judicial process
   • "The judge stayed the execution order"
10. fasten with stays
11. overcome or allay
    • "quell my hunger"
    • synonyms: appease, quell