stayverb
uk/steɪ/us/steɪ/stay verb (NOT LEAVE)
A1 [ I ] to not move away from or leave a place or situation:
More examples
- Can you stay a bit longer?
- It was cold and wet outside so we stayed at home.
- You can stay here if you like.
- Stay and have a drink with us.
- I'm afraid I can't stay.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Staying and remaining
- closeted
- halt
- hang
- hold
- hold sb over
- keep to somewhere
- leave
- remaining
- residual
- rest
- sit tight idiom
- sojourn
- stand
- stay behind
- stop
- tarry
- vestigial
- wait
- wait behind
- wait for sb
See more results »
stay verb (CONTINUE)
B1 [ I usually + adv/prep, L ] to continue doing something, or to continue to be in a particular state:
More examples
- She manages to stay cheerful despite everything.
- Many small businesses are struggling to stay afloat.
- Biscuits will stay crisp if you keep them in an airtight container.
- This is so boring, it's all I can do to stay awake.
- Her proposals would allow more people to stay in full-time education.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Keeping and staying the same
- consistency
- consistent
- continuum
- control
- fastness
- firm
- flat
- invariant
- leave
- leave well alone idiom
- level
- level off
- remain
- seamless
- stable
- steady
- unchanged
- undisturbed
- wallow in sth
- wouldn't have it any other way idiom
See more results »
stay verb (LIVE)
A2 [ I ] to live or be in a place for a short time as a visitor:
to sleep somewhere for one night:
[ I ] Indian English or Scottish English to live somewhere permanently:
More examples
- I stayed in a marvellous clifftop hotel.
- We stayed in a fancy hotel near the Champs-Élysées.
- We stayed on one of the lesser-known Greek islands.
- The farmhouse we stayed in was completely off the beaten track.
- They stayed with us for a short time.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Living or sleeping somewhere
- abide
- domiciled
- dwell
- exist
- habitable
- inhospitable
- live in
- live in sin idiom
- live out
- live-in
- lodge
- residence
- residency
- resident
- residential
- room
- root
- settle
- settle down
- squat
See more results »
Idiom(s)
Phrasal verb(s)
staynoun
uk/steɪ/us/steɪ/stay noun (VISIT)
B1 [ C ] a period of time that you spend in a place:
an order by a judge that stops a judgment being performed until new information can be considered
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Court cases, orders & decisions
- actionable
- administer
- admissible
- affidavit
- affiliation order
- bail
- bale
- defend
- inadmissible
- injunction
- judgment
- judicature
- judicial
- plea
- remedy
- retrial
- Rex
- ruling
- separation
- sequester
See more results »