[steɪ], (Verb)

Definitions:
- remain in the same place
(e.g: you stay here and I'll be back soon)

- remain in a specified state or position
(e.g: her ability to stay calm)

- (of a person) live somewhere temporarily as a visitor or guest
(e.g: the girls had gone to stay with friends)

- stop, delay, or prevent (something), in particular suspend or postpone (judicial proceedings) or refrain from pressing (charges)
(e.g: there are some cases the Crown feels so serious they don't want to stay the charges)

- support or prop up
(e.g: it did not matter to you whether the building was stayed up or not?)


Phrases:
- be here to stay
- stay of execution
- stay put
- stay the course
- stay well

Origin:
late Middle English (as a verb): from Anglo-Norman French estai-, stem of Old French ester, from Latin stare ‘to stand’; in the sense ‘support’ (stay and stay), partly from Old French estaye (noun), estayer (verb), of Germanic origin

[steɪ], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a period of staying somewhere, in particular of living somewhere temporarily as a visitor or guest
(e.g: an overnight stay at a luxury hotel)

- a curb or check
(e.g: there is likely to be a good public library as a stay against boredom)

- a device used as a brace or support

- power of endurance
(e.g: some men are always great at beginnings; but they have no stay in them)


Phrases:
- be here to stay
- stay of execution
- stay put
- stay the course
- stay well

Origin:
late Middle English (as a verb): from Anglo-Norman French estai-, stem of Old French ester, from Latin stare ‘to stand’; in the sense ‘support’ (stay and stay), partly from Old French estaye (noun), estayer (verb), of Germanic origin

[steɪ], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a large rope, wire, or rod used to support a ship's mast, leading from the masthead to another mast or spar or down to another part of the ship
(e.g: I eased off on the line while Patrick took up the tension on the side stays)


Phrases:
- be in stays
- miss stays

Origin:
Old English stæg, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch stag, from a base meaning ‘be firm’

[steɪ], (Verb)

Definitions:
- secure or steady (a mast) by means of stays
(e.g: we stayed the mast on the starboard side by shifting the halyard)


Phrases:
- be in stays
- miss stays

Origin:
Old English stæg, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch stag, from a base meaning ‘be firm’