stay
Third Person
stays
Present Participle
staying
Past Tense
stayed
Past Participle
stayed
1
to remain in a particular place
- 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.
Antonyms:
2
to live somewhere for a short time, especially as a guest or visitor
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.