STAY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does stay mean? 

• STAY (noun)
  The noun STAY has 5 senses:

1. continuing or remaining in a place or state

2. the state of inactivity following an interruption

3. a judicial order forbidding some action until an event occurs or the order is lifted

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

  Familiarity information: STAY used as a noun is common.

• STAY (verb)
  The verb STAY has 11 senses:

1. stay the same; remain in a certain state

2. stay put (in a certain place)

3. dwell

4. continue in a place, position, or situation

5. remain behind

6. stop or halt

7. stay behind

8. hang on during a trial of endurance

9. stop a judicial process

10. fasten with stays

11. overcome or allay

  Familiarity information: STAY used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STAY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Continuing or remaining in a place or state

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

a four-month stay in bankruptcy court

Hypernyms ("stay" is a kind of...):

act; deed; human action; human activity (something that people do or cause to happen)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "stay"):

layover; stop; stopover (a brief stay in the course of a journey)

sojourn; visit (a temporary stay (e.g., as a guest))

Derivation:

stay (stay put (in a certain place))

stay (dwell)

stay (continue in a place, position, or situation)

stay (stay the same; remain in a certain state)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The state of inactivity following an interruption

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

arrest; check; halt; hitch; stay; stop; stoppage

Context example:

he spent the entire stop in his seat

Hypernyms ("stay" is a kind of...):

inaction; inactiveness; inactivity (the state of being inactive)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "stay"):

countercheck (a check that restrains another check)

logjam (any stoppage attributable to unusual activity)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A judicial order forbidding some action until an event occurs or the order is lifted

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

the Supreme Court has the power to stay an injunction pending an appeal to the whole Court

Hypernyms ("stay" is a kind of...):

decree; edict; fiat; order; rescript (a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge))

Domain category:

jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "stay"):

stay of execution (an order whereby a judgment is precluded from being executed for a specific period of time)

Derivation:

stay (stop or halt)

stay (stop a judicial process)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A thin strip of metal or bone that is used to stiffen a garment (e.g. a corset)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("stay" is a kind of...):

slip; strip (artifact consisting of a narrow flat piece of material)

Derivation:

stay (fasten with stays)

Sense 5

Meaning:

(nautical) brace consisting of a heavy rope or wire cable used as a support for a mast or spar

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("stay" is a kind of...):

brace; bracing (a structural member used to stiffen a framework)

Domain category:

navigation; sailing; seafaring (the work of a sailor)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "stay"):

backstay (a stay that supports the back of something)

forestay (an adjustable stay from the foremast to the deck or bowsprit; controls the bending of the mast)

• STAY (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Stay the same; remain in a certain state

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

remain; rest; stay

Context example:

The bad weather continued for another week

Hypernyms (to "stay" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stay"):

stand (remain inactive or immobile)

be (to remain unmolested, undisturbed, or uninterrupted -- used only in infinitive form)

keep; stay fresh (fail to spoil or rot)

stay together; stick together (be loyal to one another, especially in times of trouble)

sit tight (maintain the same position; wait it out)

keep out (remain outside)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s Adjective/Noun
Somebody ----s Adjective

Sentence example:

John will stay angry

Antonym:

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Derivation:

stay (continuing or remaining in a place or state)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Stay put (in a certain place)

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

stay; stay put; stick; stick around

Context example:

Stick around and you will learn something!

Hypernyms (to "stay" is one way to...):

stay in place (be stationary)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Antonym:

move (change residence, affiliation, or place of employment)

Derivation:

stay (continuing or remaining in a place or state)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Dwell

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

abide; bide; stay

Context example:

stay a bit longer--the day is still young

Hypernyms (to "stay" is one way to...):

continue; remain; stay; stay on (continue in a place, position, or situation)

Domain usage:

archaicism; archaism (the use of an archaic expression)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stay"):

visit (stay with as a guest)

outstay; overstay (stay too long)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

stay (continuing or remaining in a place or state)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Continue in a place, position, or situation

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

continue; remain; stay; stay on

Context example:

She continued as deputy mayor for another year

Hypernyms (to "stay" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stay"):

abide; bide; stay (dwell)

hold over (continue a term of office past the normal period of time)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

stay (continuing or remaining in a place or state)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Remain behind

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

I had to stay at home and watch the children

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Antonym:

depart (go away or leave)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Stop or halt

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

delay; detain; stay

Context example:

Please stay the bloodshed!

Hypernyms (to "stay" is one way to...):

check; delay; retard (slow the growth or development of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

stay (a judicial order forbidding some action until an event occurs or the order is lifted)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Stay behind

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

persist; remain; stay

Context example:

The hostility remained long after they made up

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stay"):

stick (endure)

linger (remain present although waning or gradually dying)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Sense 8

Meaning:

Hang on during a trial of endurance

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

last out; outride; ride out; stay

Context example:

ride out the storm

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stay"):

outstay (surpass in staying power)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

stayer (a person or other animal having powers of endurance or perseverance)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Stop a judicial process

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

The judge stayed the execution order

Hypernyms (to "stay" is one way to...):

block; halt; kibosh; stop (stop from happening or developing)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

stay (a judicial order forbidding some action until an event occurs or the order is lifted)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Fasten with stays

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "stay" is one way to...):

fasten; fix; secure (cause to be firmly attached)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

stay (a thin strip of metal or bone that is used to stiffen a garment (e.g. a corset))

Sense 11

Meaning:

Overcome or allay

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

appease; quell; stay

Context example:

quell my hunger

Hypernyms (to "stay" is one way to...):

conform to; fill; fit; fulfil; fulfill; meet; satisfy (fill, satisfy or meet a want or need or condtion ro restriction)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something ----s somebody

 Context examples 

Yet it seems to me your life is hardly secure while she stays.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Then, even if you get treatment, it can be hard to stay off the drug.

(Cocaine, NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Me stay here. No fear. You always find me when you want.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Washing your hands and staying away from people with colds will help you avoid colds.

(Common Cold, NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Without insulin, too much glucose stays in your blood.

(Diabetes Medicines, NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Without insulin, too much sugar stays in the blood.

(Diabetes in Children and Teens, NIH)

Once CMV is in a person's body, it stays there for life.

(Cytomegalovirus Infections, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Without enough insulin, the glucose stays in your blood.

(Diabetes, NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Sallie has some girls staying with her.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“Don't you know? She's going to stay for a fortnight with Mrs. Grayper. Mrs. Grayper's going to have a lot of company.”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)