stay

adjective

1. (Britain dialectal) Steep; ascending.

2. (Britain dialectal) (of a roof) Steeply pitched.

3. (Britain dialectal) Difficult to negotiate; not easy to access; sheer.

4. (Britain dialectal) Stiff; upright; unbending; reserved; haughty; proud.

adverb

1. (Britain dialectal) Steeply.

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

Definition categories: act, deed

2. the state of inactivity following an interruption

- the momentary stay enabled him to escape the blow

Similar word(s): arrest, check, halt, hitch, stop, stoppage

Definition categories: state, inaction, inactivity

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

Definition categories: communication, decree, edict, fiat, order, rescript

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

Definition categories: man–made, slip, strip

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

Definition categories: man–made, brace, bracing

verb

1. stay the same; remain in a certain state

- stay alone

Similar word(s): remain, rest

Definition categories: change, be

2. stay put (in a certain place)

- We are staying in Detroit; we are not moving to Cincinnati

- Stay put in the corner here!

Similar word(s): stick

Definition categories: motion

3. dwell

- You can stay with me while you are in town

- stay a bit longer--the day is still young

Similar word(s): abide, bide

Definition categories: stative, continue, remain, stay

4. continue in a place, position, or situation

- After graduation, she stayed on in Cambridge as a student adviser

- Stay with me, please

Similar word(s): continue, remain

Definition categories: stative, be

5. remain behind

- I had to stay at home and watch the children

Definition categories: motion

6. stop or halt

- Please stay the bloodshed!

Similar word(s): delay, detain

Definition categories: change, check, delay

7. stay behind

- The smell stayed in the room

Similar word(s): persist, remain

Definition categories: stative

8. hang on during a trial of endurance

Similar word(s): outride

Definition categories: stative

9. stop a judicial process

- The judge stayed the execution order

Definition categories: social, block, halt, kibosh, stop

10. fasten with stays

Definition categories: contact, fasten, fix, secure

11. overcome or allay

Similar word(s): appease, quell

Definition categories: consumption, fill, fit, fulfil, fulfill, meet, satisfy