stay.
To remain in a particular place, especially for a definite or short period of time; sojourn; abide.
Meaning & usage
To remain in a particular place, especially for a definite or short period of time; sojourn; abide.
We stayed in Hawaii for a week. I can only stay for an hour.
To continue to have a particular quality.
Wear gloves so your hands stay warm.
Promise me you'll always stay/remain my little prince.
To prop; support; sustain; hold up; steady.
To support from sinking; to sustain with strength; to satisfy in part or for the time.
To stop or delay something. To stop; detain; keep back; delay; hinder.
To stop or delay something. To restrain; withhold; check; stop.
To stop or delay something. To cause to cease; to put an end to.
To stop or delay something. To put off; defer; postpone; delay; keep back.
The governor stayed the execution until the appeal could be heard.
To hold the attention of.
To bear up under; to endure; to hold out against; to resist.
To wait for; await.
To remain for the purpose of; to stay to take part in or be present at (a meal, ceremony etc.).
To rest; depend; rely.
To stop; come to a stand or standstill.
To come to an end; cease.
That day the storm stayed.
To dwell; linger; tarry; wait.
To make a stand; to stand firm.
To hold out, as in a race or contest; last or persevere to the end; to show staying power.
That horse stays well.
To wait; rest in patience or expectation.
To wait as an attendant; give ceremonious or submissive attendance.
To live; reside.
Hey, where do you stay at?
Where this word comes from
From Middle English steyen, staien, from Old French estayer, estaier (“to fix, prop up, support, stay”), from estaye, estaie (“a prop, stay”), from Middle Dutch staeye (“a prop, stay”), a contracted form of staede, stade (“a prop, stay, help, aid”) (compare Middle Dutch staeyen, staeden (“to make firm, stay, support, hold still, stabilise”)), from Proto-West Germanic *stadi (“a site, place, location, standing”), from Proto-Germanic *stadiz (“a standing, place”), from Proto-Indo-European *stéh₂tis (“standing”). Influenced by Old English stæġ ("a stay, rope"; see below). Cognate with Old English stede (“a place, spot, locality, fixed position, station, site, standing, status, position of a moving body, stopping, standing still, stability, fixity, firmness, steadfastness”), Swedish stödja (“to prop, support, brace, hold up, bolster”), Icelandic stöðug (“continuous, stable”). More at stead, steady. Sense of "remain, continue" may be due to later influence from Old French ester, esteir (“to stand, be, continue, remain”), from Latin stāre (“stand”), from the same Proto-Indo-European root above; however, derivation from this root is untenable based on linguistic and historical grounds. An alternative etymology derives Old French estaye, estaie, from Frankish *stakā, *stakō (“stake, post”), from Proto-Germanic *stakô (“stake, bar, stick, pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teg- (“rod, pole, stick”), making it cognate with Old English staca (“pin, stake”), Old English stician (“to stick, be placed, lie, remain fixed”). Cognate with Albanian shtagë (“a long stick, a pole”). More at stake, stick.
Continuance or a period of time spent in a place; abode for an indefinite time.
I hope you enjoyed your stay in Hawaii.
A postponement, especially of an execution or other punishment.
The governor granted a stay of execution.
A stop; a halt; a break or cessation of action, motion, or progress.
stand at a stay
A fixed state; fixedness; stability; permanence.
A station or fixed anchorage for vessels.
Restraint of passion; prudence; moderation; caution; steadiness; sobriety.
Hindrance; let; check.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English steyen, staien, from Old French estayer, estaier (“to fix, prop up, support, stay”), from estaye, estaie (“a prop, stay”), from Middle Dutch staeye (“a prop, stay”), a contracted form of staede, stade (“a prop, stay, help, aid”) (compare Middle Dutch staeyen, staeden (“to make firm, stay, support, hold still, stabilise”)), from Proto-West Germanic *stadi (“a site, place, location, standing”), from Proto-Germanic *stadiz (“a standing, place”), from Proto-Indo-European *stéh₂tis (“standing”). Influenced by Old English stæġ ("a stay, rope"; see below). Cognate with Old English stede (“a place, spot, locality, fixed position, station, site, standing, status, position of a moving body, stopping, standing still, stability, fixity, firmness, steadfastness”), Swedish stödja (“to prop, support, brace, hold up, bolster”), Icelandic stöðug (“continuous, stable”). More at stead, steady. Sense of "remain, continue" may be due to later influence from Old French ester, esteir (“to stand, be, continue, remain”), from Latin stāre (“stand”), from the same Proto-Indo-European root above; however, derivation from this root is untenable based on linguistic and historical grounds. An alternative etymology derives Old French estaye, estaie, from Frankish *stakā, *stakō (“stake, post”), from Proto-Germanic *stakô (“stake, bar, stick, pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teg- (“rod, pole, stick”), making it cognate with Old English staca (“pin, stake”), Old English stician (“to stick, be placed, lie, remain fixed”). Cognate with Albanian shtagë (“a long stick, a pole”). More at stake, stick.
A prop; a support.
A piece of stiff material, such as plastic or whalebone, used to stiffen a piece of clothing.
Where are the stays for my collar?
A corset.
A fastening for a garment; a hook; a clasp; anything to hang another thing on.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English stay, from Old French estaye, estaie (“a prop, a stay”), from Middle Dutch staeye (“a prop, stay”), a contracted form of staede, stade ("a prop, stay, help, aid"; compare Middle Dutch staeyen, staeden (“to make firm, stay, support, hold still, stabilise”)), from Old Dutch *stad (“a site, place, location, standing”), from Proto-Germanic *stadiz (“a standing, place”), from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand”). See above.
Aspect marker indicating frequency or permanence.
He stay fighting.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English stay, from Old French estaye, estaie (“a prop, a stay”), from Middle Dutch staeye (“a prop, stay”), a contracted form of staede, stade ("a prop, stay, help, aid"; compare Middle Dutch staeyen, staeden (“to make firm, stay, support, hold still, stabilise”)), from Old Dutch *stad (“a site, place, location, standing”), from Proto-Germanic *stadiz (“a standing, place”), from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand”). See above.
A strong rope or wire supporting a mast, and leading from one masthead down to some other, or other part of the vessel.
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.
The engineer insisted on using stays for the scaffolding.
The transverse piece in a chain-cable link.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English stay, from Old English stæġ (“stay, a rope supporting a mast”), from Proto-West Germanic *stag, from Proto-Germanic *stagą (“stay, rope”), from Proto-Indo-European *stek-, *stāk- (“stand, pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand”). Cognate with Dutch stag (“stay”), German Stag (“stay”), Swedish stag (“stay”), Icelandic stag (“stay”).
To brace or support with a stay or stays
stay a mast
To incline forward, aft, or to one side by means of stays.
To tack; put on the other tack.
to stay ship
To change; tack; go about; be in stays, as a ship.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English stay, from Old English stæġ (“stay, a rope supporting a mast”), from Proto-West Germanic *stag, from Proto-Germanic *stagą (“stay, rope”), from Proto-Indo-European *stek-, *stāk- (“stand, pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand”). Cognate with Dutch stag (“stay”), German Stag (“stay”), Swedish stag (“stay”), Icelandic stag (“stay”).
Steep; ascending.
(of a roof) Steeply pitched.
Difficult to negotiate; not easy to access; sheer.
Stiff; upright; unbending; reserved; haughty; proud.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English *steȝe, from Old English *stǣġe, an apocopated variant of stǣġel (“steep, abrupt”), from Proto-West Germanic *staigil (“steep”), see sty.
Steeply.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English *steȝe, from Old English *stǣġe, an apocopated variant of stǣġel (“steep, abrupt”), from Proto-West Germanic *staigil (“steep”), see sty.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.