to remain in a place and not move or leave
to remain in a particular state
Stay calm
to reside temporarily somewhere
I'm staying with my aunt
Scot, SAfr to dwell permanently somewhere
Where do you stay?
in racing, to keep going, or keep up
staying with the leaders
archaic to stop or pause
archaic to wait
He will stay till you come — Shakespeare
to remain (a certain time) somewhere
Stay the night
to last out (a race or the course)
archaic to halt the progress of (a disease)
to delay or prevent (a judicial procedure, such as an execution)
archaic or literary to stop (a person) from doing something
stay put
to stay where placed or left
stay somebody's hand
literary to stop somebody acting
the childish dread which had hitherto stayed my hand — Poe
stayer noun
[Middle English via Old French ester from Latin stare to stand]