Definition of "stay"

stay¹

/steɪ/

verb
third-person singular simple present stays, present participle staying, simple past and past participle stayed or (obsolete) staid
1. (intransitive) To remain in a particular place, especially for a definite or short period of time; sojourn; abide.
  Quotations
  She would commaund the hasty Sunne to stay,Or backward turne his course from heuen's hight,
  1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, page 140
  Stay, I command you; stay and hear me first,
  1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or, the Double Discovery. […], London: […] Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson, […], Act IV, page 60
  I stay a little longer, as one stays / To cover up the embers that still burn.
  1874 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Three Friends of Mine,” IV, in The Masque of Pandora and Other Poems, Boston: James R. Osgood, 1875, p. 353
  “Well,” I says, “I cal'late a body could get used to Tophet if he stayed there long enough.” ¶ She flared up; the least mite of a slam at Doctor Wool was enough to set her going.
  1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 5, in Mr. Pratt's Patients
2. (intransitive, copulative) To continue to have a particular quality.
  Quotations
  For as the Flames augment, and as they stay / At their full Height, then languish to decay, / They rise, and sink by Fits […]
  1700, [John] Dryden, “Meleager and Atalanta, out of the Eighth Book of Ovid’s Metamorphosis”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], page 118
  The evergreen arch wouldn’t stay firm after she got it up, but wiggled and threatened to tumble down on her head when the hanging baskets were filled.
  1869, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, chapter XXX, in Little Women: […], part second, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers
  The three men in the room stayed motionless, holding their breaths.
  1943, Graham Greene, The Ministry of Fear‎, London: Heinemann, published 1960, Book 3, Chapter 2, p. 210
  The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast about […], or offering services that let you "stay up to date with what your friends are doing", […] and so on. But the real way to build a successful online business is to be better than your rivals at undermining people's control of their own attention.
  2013 June 21, Oliver Burkeman, “The tao of tech”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, page 27
3. (transitive) To prop; support; sustain; hold up; steady.
  Quotations
  Lord Mayor of London. See, where he stands between two clergymen!Duke of Buckingham. Two props of virtue for a Christian prince,To stay him from the fall of vanity:
  c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene vii]
  But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Exodus 17:12
  Draw in your right elbow, turn your hand outward and bear it lightly, gripe not the pen too hard, with your left hand stay the paper.
  1677, Hannah Woolley, “Directions for Writing the most Vsual and Legible Hands for Women”, in The Compleat Servant-Maid‎, London: T. Passinger, page 17
  Sallows and Reeds, on Banks of Rivers born,Remain to cut; for Vineyards useful found,To stay thy Vines and fence thy fruitful Ground.
  1725, John Dryden, transl., Virgil’s Husbandry, or an Essay on the Georgics‎, London, Book 2, p. 37
4. (transitive) To support from sinking; to sustain with strength; to satisfy in part or for the time.
  Quotations
  […] he has devoured a whole loaf of bread and butter, as fast as Phoebe could cut it, and it has not staid his stomach for a minute […]
  1826, [Walter Scott], chapter XX, in Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green
5. (transitive) To stop or delay something.
  1. To stop; detain; keep back; delay; hinder.
    Quotations
    Your ships are stay’d at Venice.
    c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene ii]
    This business staid me in London almost a week […]
    1671, John Evelyn, Diary, entry dated 14 November, 1671, in The Diary of John Evelyn, London: Macmillan, 1906, Volume 2, p. 337
    […] I was willing to stay my Reader on an Argument, that appears to me new […]
    1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter 5, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], book III, page 207
    The task of recalling him from the vagrancy into which he always sank when he had spoken, was like recalling some very weak person from a swoon, or endeavouring, in the hope of some disclosure, to stay the spirit of a fast-dying man.
    1859, Charles Dickens, chapter 6, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […]
    […] she filled the room she entered, and felt often as she stood hesitating one moment on the threshold of her drawing-room, an exquisite suspense, such as might stay a diver before plunging while the sea darkens and brightens beneath him […]
    1925, Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, published 1985, page 44
    She rose to leave but Libor stayed her.
    2010, Howard Jacobson, chapter 9, in The Finkler Question, New York: Bloomsbury
  2. To restrain; withhold; check; stop.
    Quotations
    […] all that may but with any the least shew of possibility stay their mindes from thinking that true, which they heartily wish were false, but cannot think it so […]
    1597, Richard Hooker, Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity, Book 5, in The Works of Mr. Richard Hooker, London: Andrew Crook, 1666, p.
    So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul.
    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], 1 Samuel 24:7
    […] you must follow the impulse of your own inspiration. If THAT commands the slaying of the victim, no bystander has a right to put out his hand to stay the sacrificial knife: but I hold you a stern priestess in these matters.
    1852, Charlotte Brontë, letter cited in Elizabeth Gaskell, The Life of Charlotte Brontë, 1857, Volume 2, Chapter 10
    Between Pegāna and the Earth flutter ten thousand thousand prayers that beat their wings against the face of Death, and never for one of them hath the hand of the Striker been stayed, nor yet have tarried the feet of the Relentless One.
    1905, [Edward Plunkett,] Lord Dunsany, The Gods of Pegāna‎, London: Elkin Mathews, […], page 23
  3. To cause to cease; to put an end to.
    Quotations
    Now stay your strife […]
    c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene i]
    For flattering planets seemed to sayThis child should ills of ages stay,
    1847, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Threnody”, in Poems‎, Boston: James Munroe, page 242
  4. To put off; defer; postpone; delay; keep back.
    Quotations
    Without one word to deny himself, Yuan let himself be bound, his hands behind his back, and no one could stay the matter.
    1935, Pearl S. Buck, A House Divided‎, London: Methuen, Part 1, p. 137
    As I curled up like a dying fish beneath his flailing boots, I managed to stay his assault long enough to tell him that I had only ever seen myself as his most loyal servant […]
    2001, Richard Flanagan, “The Leatherjacket”, in Gould’s Book of Fish‎, New York: Grove, pages 187–188
6. (transitive) To hold the attention of. (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:)
7. (transitive, obsolete) To bear up under; to endure; to hold out against; to resist.
  Quotations
  She will not stay the siege of loving terms,Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes,
  c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene i]
8. (transitive, obsolete) To wait for; await.
  Quotations
  My father stays my coming;
  c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene ii]
  Let me stay the growth of his beard,
  c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene ii]
9. (transitive, obsolete) To remain for the purpose of; to stay to take part in or be present at (a meal, ceremony etc.).
  Quotations
  I stay dinner there.
  c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene ii]
  Some of the company staid supper, which prevented the embarrassment that must unavoidably have arisen, had the family been by themselves.
  1791, Elizabeth Inchbald, A Simple Story, Oxford, published 2009, page 177
  How glad they had been to hear papa invite him to stay dinner, how sorry when he said it was quite out of his power […]
  1817 (date written), [Jane Austen], chapter VII, in Persuasion; published in Northanger Abbey: And Persuasion. […], volumes (please specify |volume=III or IV), London: John Murray, […], 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818)
10. (intransitive, obsolete) To rest; depend; rely.
  Quotations
  Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Isaiah 30:12
  I stay here on my bond.
  c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene ii]
11. (intransitive, obsolete) To stop; come to a stand or standstill.
12. (intransitive, archaic) To come to an end; cease.
  Quotations
  Here my commission stays,
  1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene iv]
13. (intransitive, archaic) To dwell; linger; tarry; wait.
  Quotations
  Yet not to be wholly silent of all your Charities I must stay a little on one Action, which preferr’d the Relief of Others, to the Consideration of your Self.
  1700, John Dryden, Fables Ancient and Modern‎, London: Jacob Tonson, dedicatory epistle
14. (intransitive, dated) To make a stand; to stand firm.
15. (intransitive) To hold out, as in a race or contest; last or persevere to the end; to show staying power.
16. (intransitive, obsolete) To wait; rest in patience or expectation.
  Quotations
  I’ll tell thee all my whole device / When I am in my coach, which stays for us.
  c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene iv]
  The Father cannot stay any longer for the Portion, nor the Mother for a new Sett of Babies to play with […]
  1693, [John Locke], “(please specify the section number)”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], page 260
17. (intransitive, obsolete, used with on or upon) To wait as an attendant; give ceremonious or submissive attendance.
  Quotations
  I have a servant comes with me along,That stays upon me […]
  c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene i]
  Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure.
  c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene iii]
18. (intransitive, Scotland, South Africa, India, Southern US, African-American Vernacular, colloquial) To live; reside
noun
plural stays
1. Continuance or a period of time spent in a place; abode for an indefinite time.
2. (law) A postponement, especially of an execution or other punishment.
  Quotations
  Later that day, however, Judge O'Kelley signed a stay of execution when Mr. Potts authorized other attorneys to renew his appeals.
  1980 June 25, “A.C.L.U. Seeks to Stay Execution of Georgian”, in The New York Times‎
  An appellate judge temporarily stayed the monitor’s work until a three-judge federal appeals panel can decide whether the stay should be kept in place longer while Apple undertakes a full challenge to the appointment of a monitor.
  2014 January 21, Matthew Goldstein, “Apple Wins Temporary Stay on Court Monitor”, in New York Times‎
3. (archaic) A stop; a halt; a break or cessation of action, motion, or progress.
  Quotations
  Made of ſphear-metal, never to decay / Untill his revolution was at ſtay.
  1646 (indicated as 1645), John Milton, “Another on the ſame”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], page 29
  Affaires of state […] seemed rather to stand at a stay.
  a. 1628 (date written), John Hayward, The Life, and Raigne of King Edward the Sixt, London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press, and J. Lichfield at Oxford?] for Iohn Partridge, […], published 1630
4. A fixed state; fixedness; stability; permanence.
5. (nautical) A station or fixed anchorage for vessels.
6. Restraint of passion; prudence; moderation; caution; steadiness; sobriety.
  Quotations
  The wisdom, stay, and moderation of the king.
  1622, Francis, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban [i.e. Francis Bacon], The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh, […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Matthew Lownes, and William Barret
  Not grudging that thy lust hath bounds and stays.
  1633, George Herbert, The Church Porch
  With prudent stay he long deferred / The rough contention.
  1705, John Philips, Blenheim
7. (obsolete) Hindrance; let; check.
  Quotations
  They were able to read good authors without any stay, if the book were not false.
  1551, Thomas More, “(please specify the Internet Archive page)”, in Raphe Robynson [i.e., Ralph Robinson], transl., A Fruteful, and Pleasaunt Worke of the Best State of a Publyque Weale, and of the Newe Yle Called Utopia: […], London: […] [Steven Mierdman for] Abraham Vele, […]

stay²

/steɪ/

noun
plural stays
1. A prop; a support.
  Quotations
  My onely strength and stay.
  1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
  The trees themselves serve, at the same time, as so many stays for their Vines
  1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
  Lord Liverpool is the single stay of this ministry.
  April 27, 1823, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Table Talk
  Even when the deceptive mask was torn away, and the broken-hearted parent, beholding the accursed fact, that his darling son, the fancied stay of his declining age, was enlisted against him in his brother's horrible revolt, cursed them both and died, not even then did one compunctuous visiting touch his callous heart.
  1831, Peter Leicester, Arthur of Britanny, page 18
2. A piece of stiff material, such as plastic or whalebone, used to stiffen a piece of clothing.
3. (in the plural) A corset.
  Quotations
  Her figure was tall, yet not too tall; comely and well-developed, yet not fat; her head set on her shoulders with an easy, pliant firmness; her waist, perfection in the eyes of a man, for it occupied its natural place, it filled out its natural circle, it was visibly and delightfully undeformed by stays.
  1859, Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White‎
  When Jenny's stays are newly laced.
  1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Alma: Or, The Progress of the Mind”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […]
4. (archaic) A fastening for a garment; a hook; a clasp; anything to hang another thing on.

stay³

/steɪ/

noun
plural stays
1. (nautical) A strong rope or wire supporting a mast, and leading from one masthead down to some other, or other part of the vessel.
2. A guy, rope, or wire supporting or stabilizing a platform, such as a bridge, a pole, such as a tentpole, the mast of a derrick, or other structural element.
3. The transverse piece in a chain-cable link.
verb
third-person singular simple present stays, present participle staying, simple past and past participle stayed
1. To brace or support with a stay or stays
2. (transitive, nautical) To incline forward, aft, or to one side by means of stays.
3. (transitive, nautical) To tack; put on the other tack.
4. (intransitive, nautical) To change; tack; go about; be in stays, as a ship.

stay⁴

/steɪ/

adjective
comparative stayer or more stay, superlative stayest or most stay
1. (UK dialectal) Steep; ascending.
  Quotations
  The Castle of Edr. is naturally a great strenth situate upon the top of a high Rock perpendicular on all sides, except on the entry from the burgh, which is a stay ascent and is well fortified with strong Walls, three gates each one within another, with Drawbridges, and all necessary fortifications.
  1908, Publications of the Scottish History Society, volume 53, page 121
2. (UK dialectal) (of a roof) Steeply pitched.
3. (UK dialectal) Difficult to negotiate; not easy to access; sheer.
4. (UK dialectal) Stiff; upright; unbending; reserved; haughty; proud.
adverb
comparative stayer or more stay, superlative stayest or most stay
1. (UK dialectal) Steeply.

Definition of "stay"

stay1

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stay2

noun

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stay3

noun

verb

stay4

adjective

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adverb

stay¹

stay²

stay³

stay⁴