WordLens

stay

1 of 3verb
/steɪ/
Forms:stays,staying,stayed,stayed
1

to remain in a particular place

A2
  • The weather is too unpredictable, so it's better to stay indoors.
  • The dog is trained to stay in one spot until given a command to move.
  • We'll stay at the office to finish the project on time.
  • Sorry, but I have another appointment, so I can't stay long.
  • We were about to leave, but our friends convinced us to stay for a game of cards.
Synonyms:
stickstay putstick aroundlinger[stay] puthang aroundremain
Antonyms:
move
2

to live somewhere for a short time, especially as a guest or visitor

A2
  • They invited us to stay at their beach house for the weekend.
  • I'm staying at a friend's apartment while I'm in town for the conference.
  • The company arranged for me to stay in a hotel during my business trip.
  • We were pleasantly surprised to find out that we were staying in the same hotel during our vacation.
  • He's visiting from out of town and needs a place to stay for the weekend.
Synonyms:
bidestay overabidevisitlodge
3

to continue to be in a particular condition or state

  • Despite the challenges, she managed to stay calm throughout the emergency.
  • The document needs to stay confidential until the official release.
  • Please stay seated until the plane has come to a complete stop.
  • The painting should stay in its original frame to preserve its condition.
  • The software update ensures that the system stays secure from vulnerabilities.
Synonyms:
keeprestremain
4

to temporarily halt or postpone a legal action or judicial process

transitive
  • The judge decided to stay the proceedings until more evidence was presented.
  • The defense filed a motion to stay the execution of the sentence.
  • After new information came to light, the court chose to stay the trial.
  • The prosecution agreed to stay the charges pending further investigation.
  • The company requested the court to stay the lawsuit until a settlement could be reached.
Synonyms:
postponesuspenddelaydeferadjournhold off
5

to offer assistance or encouragement to someone in need

transitive
  • Volunteers stayed the victims of the disaster with supplies and emotional support.
  • The community rallied to stay the family during their time of need.
  • His mentor stayed him in his career development by providing guidance and encouragement.
  • She stayed her partner during the challenging times of their startup.
  • He felt grateful for how his colleagues stayed him when he was struggling with the project.
Synonyms:
back upride outsupporthelplast outaidoutrideaccommodateback
6

to provide structural support to something to keep it upright or stable

transitive
  • The scaffolding was used to stay the old building during renovations.
  • The braces were installed to stay the structure after the earthquake.
  • Engineers designed a support system to stay the bridge.
  • He placed a wedge to stay the door from swinging open.
  • The crutches helped stay his weight after the injury.
Synonyms:
persistshore upbraceremainreinforce
7

to stabilize or hold a mast in place using ropes, wires, or other supportive devices

transitive
  • The sailors worked together to stay the mast before the storm hit.
  • The old ship's mast was stayed with steel cables to prevent any movement.
  • The rigging was expertly handled to stay the mast during rough seas.
  • Before setting sail, they carefully stayed the mast to ensure a smooth voyage.
  • They stayed the mast with additional supports after noticing some slack in the lines.
Synonyms:
supportbraceanchorsecurereinforce