n.

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
2. 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
3. the state of inactivity following an interruption;
   arrest, check, halt, hitch, stop, stoppage
   
   • the negotiations were in arrest
   • held them in check
   • during the halt he got some lunch
   • the momentary stay enabled him to escape the blow
   • he spent the entire stop in his seat
4. (nautical) brace consisting of a heavy rope or wire cable used as a support for a mast or spar
5. a thin strip of metal or bone that is used to stiffen a garment (e.g. a corset)

v.

1. stay the same; remain in a certain state;
   remain, rest
   
   • The dress remained wet after repeated attempts to dry it
   • rest assured
   • stay alone
   • He remained unmoved by her tears
   • The bad weather continued for another week
2. stay put (in a certain place);
   stick, stick around, stay put
   
   • We are staying in Detroit; we are not moving to Cincinnati
   • Stay put in the corner here!
   • Stick around and you will learn something!
3. dwell;
   bide, abide
   
   • You can stay with me while you are in town
   • stay a bit longer--the day is still young
4. continue in a place, position, or situation;
   stay on, continue, remain
   
   • After graduation, she stayed on in Cambridge as a student adviser
   • Stay with me, please
   • despite student protests, he remained Dean for another year
   • She continued as deputy mayor for another year
5. remain behind
   
   • I had to stay at home and watch the children
6. stop or halt;
   detain, delay
   
   • Please stay the bloodshed!
7. stay behind;
   persist, remain
   
   • The smell stayed in the room
   • The hostility remained long after they made up
8. hang on during a trial of endurance;
   last out, ride out, outride
   
   • ride out the storm
9. stop a judicial process
   
   • The judge stayed the execution order
10. fasten with stays
11. overcome or allay;
    quell, appease
    
    • quell my hunger