stay
♦♦♦ stay /st'eɪ/ (stays staying stayed)
1 [VERB] V adv/prep, V adv/prep
If you stay where you are, you continue to be there and do not leave.
`Stay here,' Trish said. `I'll bring the car down the drive to take you back.'...
In the old days the woman stayed at home and the man earned the money.
2 [VERB] V prep/adv, V n
If you stay in a town, or hotel, or at someone's house, you live there for a short time.
Gordon stayed at The Park Hotel, Milan...
He tried to stay a few months every year in Scotland.
[N-COUNT] usu supp N
Stay is also a noun.
An experienced Indian guide is provided during your stay.
3 [V-LINK] V adv/prep, V adj
If someone or something stays in a particular state or situation, they continue to be in it.
The Republican candidate said he would `work like crazy to stay ahead'.
...community care networks that offer classes on how to stay healthy...
= remain
4 [VERB] V away from n, V away
If you stay away from a place, you do not go there.
Government employers and officers also stayed away from work during the strike...
Every single employee turned up at the meeting, even people who usually stayed away.
= keep
5 [VERB] V out of n
If you stay out of something, you do not get involved in it.
In the past, the UN has stayed out of the internal affairs of countries unless invited in...
6 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you stay put, you remain somewhere.
Nigel says for the moment he is very happy to stay put in Lyon.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you stay the night in a place, you sleep there for one night.
They had invited me to come to supper and stay the night.stay in
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you stay in during the evening, you remain at home and do not go out.
Before we had our child the idea of staying in every night would have been horrific.
≠ go outstay of ex|ecu|tion (stays of execution)
[N-COUNT]
If you are given a stay of execution, you are legally allowed to delay obeying an order of a court of law. (LEGAL)stay on
[PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P
If you stay on somewhere, you remain there after other people have left or after the time when you were going to leave.
He had managed to arrange to stay on in Adelaide...
So few teenage Britons stay on at school, compared with the rest of Europe...stay out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you stay out at night, you remain away from home, especially when you are expected to be there.
That was the first time Elliot stayed out all night...
≠ stay instay up
[PHRASAL VERB] V P adv/prep
If you stay up, you remain out of bed at a time when most people have gone to bed or at a time when you are normally in bed yourself.
I used to stay up late with my mom and watch movies.
1 [VERB] V adv/prep, V adv/prep
If you stay where you are, you continue to be there and do not leave.
`Stay here,' Trish said. `I'll bring the car down the drive to take you back.'...
In the old days the woman stayed at home and the man earned the money.
2 [VERB] V prep/adv, V n
If you stay in a town, or hotel, or at someone's house, you live there for a short time.
Gordon stayed at The Park Hotel, Milan...
He tried to stay a few months every year in Scotland.
[N-COUNT] usu supp N
Stay is also a noun.
An experienced Indian guide is provided during your stay.
3 [V-LINK] V adv/prep, V adj
If someone or something stays in a particular state or situation, they continue to be in it.
The Republican candidate said he would `work like crazy to stay ahead'.
...community care networks that offer classes on how to stay healthy...
= remain
4 [VERB] V away from n, V away
If you stay away from a place, you do not go there.
Government employers and officers also stayed away from work during the strike...
Every single employee turned up at the meeting, even people who usually stayed away.
= keep
5 [VERB] V out of n
If you stay out of something, you do not get involved in it.
In the past, the UN has stayed out of the internal affairs of countries unless invited in...
6 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you stay put, you remain somewhere.
Nigel says for the moment he is very happy to stay put in Lyon.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you stay the night in a place, you sleep there for one night.
They had invited me to come to supper and stay the night.stay in
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you stay in during the evening, you remain at home and do not go out.
Before we had our child the idea of staying in every night would have been horrific.
≠ go outstay of ex|ecu|tion (stays of execution)
[N-COUNT]
If you are given a stay of execution, you are legally allowed to delay obeying an order of a court of law. (LEGAL)stay on
[PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P
If you stay on somewhere, you remain there after other people have left or after the time when you were going to leave.
He had managed to arrange to stay on in Adelaide...
So few teenage Britons stay on at school, compared with the rest of Europe...stay out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you stay out at night, you remain away from home, especially when you are expected to be there.
That was the first time Elliot stayed out all night...
≠ stay instay up
[PHRASAL VERB] V P adv/prep
If you stay up, you remain out of bed at a time when most people have gone to bed or at a time when you are normally in bed yourself.
I used to stay up late with my mom and watch movies.