stay
noun
Definitions of stay noun
time
- B1Countable
A duration of time spent at a particular location.
Their stay in Paris was very pleasant.
After a brief stay, she continued on to her next destination.
They arranged for a stay at a hotel to attend the conference.
Phrases of stay noun
- stay of execution, deportation, etc.
A legal order issued by a judge that temporarily suspends the execution of a judgment, such as a death penalty or deportation, allowing for reconsideration of new information.
• The lawyer successfully obtained a stay of deportation so they could submit new evidence.
verb
Definitions of stay verb
remain
- A1Intransitive
To remain in a place or situation without moving or leaving.
Please stay where you are until I return.
Some guests decided to stay a while longer after the party ended.
You should stay home and get some rest.
continue
- B1IntransitiveLinking verbVerb + adv/prep
To continue in a particular state or condition or to continue doing something.
Try not to touch it and just stay as it is.
Despite many challenges, they stayed optimistic.
To stay healthy, you should stick to a regular exercise.
reside
- A2Intransitive
To reside or be present in a place temporarily as a visitor.
We stayed at the guesthouse for a few days.
I'm going to stay at my friend's place until I find my own apartment.
I wish I could stay longer in Paris.
- Intransitive
To live somewhere permanently
He has stayed with his brother his whole life.
They decided to stay there permanently.
Many of my relatives still stay in the same village.
Phrases of stay verb
- stay overnight
To remain in a place and sleep there for one night.
• Due to the severe weather, we had to stay overnight at the airport.
Idioms
- stay the course
To persevere with a particular course of action until it is completed or the intended goal is achieved.
• Despite the initial challenging months, they stayed the course and successfully turned the company around.
- stay put
To remain in the same place or position without moving or being moved.
• Please stay put; the rescue team will be there shortly.
- here to stay
This idiom indicates that something has become widely adopted and is no longer considered unusual; it has become a permanent feature.
• Remote work looks like it is here to stay, with many companies implementing permanent remote policies.
- stay on the sidelines
To choose not to be actively involved in a situation or activity; to remain an observer.
• During the political debate, he chose to stay on the sidelines, not expressing support for either side.
Phrasal Verbs of stay
- stay on
to remain in a location, position, or educational setting after others have departed
• Even though his colleagues had left, he decided to stay on at the office to finish his unfinished tasks.
- stay out
to remain away from home overnight or return very late.
• He decided to stay out last night after hanging out with his friends.
- stay in
to remain at home
• I plan to stay in this weekend and watch movies.
- stay up
to retire to bed later than one's usual time
• He stayed up working until 3 a.m. last night and feels extremely tired today.
- stay behind
to remain in a location after others have departed
• A few people chose to stay behind after the party to help clean up.
- stay out of something
to refrain from becoming involved in a dispute or conversation
• It's best to stay out of this argument.
- stay over
to spend a night at another person's residence
• We can stay over at our friend's house tonight.
- stay away from someone/something
to keep a distance from or choose not to engage with someone; to steer clear of something that could negatively impact you
• He told me to stay away from people with bad habits.