Meaning of stay In English

• 0 to not move away from or leave a place or situation:

  • They need an assistant who is willing to stay for six months.

  • Stay until the rain has stopped.

  • Can you stay after work to play tennis?

  • Because of the snow, children were told to stay at home.

• 1 to continue doing something, or to continue to be in a particular state:

  • Stay away from the edge of the cliff.

  • He decided not to stay in teaching/medicine/the army.

  • The final figures showed that most departments had stayed within budget.

  • It was so warm we stayed (out) in the garden until ten that night.

  • Put a lid on the pan so the food will stay hot.

  • The shops stay open until nine o' clock.

  • They stayed friends after their divorce.

• 2 to live or be in a place for a short time as a visitor:

  • I stayed in Montreal for two weeks then flew home.

  • They said they'd stay at/in a hotel.

  • My kids usually stay with their grandparents for a week in the summer.

  • We've arranged to stay overnight at my sister's house.

  • I still stay with my parents.

• 3 a period of time that you spend in a place:

  • She planned a short stay at/in a hotel to celebrate their anniversary.

• 4 an order by a judge that stops a judgment being performed until new information can be considered

• 5 to not move away from or leave a place:

  • I have a meeting at three so I can’t stay long.

  • They need an assistant who is willing to stay for six months.

  • Can you stay for dinner?

  • James had to stay after school to complete the assignment.

  • Because of the snow, he stayed home from school today.

  • She’s come back home to stay (= She will not move away again).

• 6 to continue to be in a particular state or position, or to continue doing something:

  • [ I always + adv/prep ] Stay away from the edge of the cliff.

  • [ I always + adv/prep ] His boss asked him to stay on as manager for another year.

  • [ I always + adv/prep ] Mom told me not to stay out/up too late.

  • [ L ] I found it difficult to stay awake/calm/warm.

  • [ L ] The store stays open until 9 p.m.

  • [ L ] They stayed friends, even after they moved to different countries.

  • [ L ] For further news of the hurricane, stay tuned (= keep listening to this program).

• 7 to live in a place for a short time as a visitor, or just sleep there:

  • We stayed in San Francisco for a few days before flying to Hawaii.

  • I’ll be staying overnight at my sister’s house.

• 8 a period of time that you spend in a place:

  • They plan a short stay at a motel while the house is being painted.

• 9 to not move away or leave:

  • stay for 2 days/2 weeks/2 years, etc. They need an assistant who is willing to stay for six months.

  • stay at work/home We stayed at work until 10 pm.

  • stay in/on sth She will stay on the board after she steps down as CEO.

  • stay here/there How long do you plan to stay here in Boston?

• 10 to continue doing something, or to continue to be in a particular state:

  • stay open/closed The shops stay open until 9 o' clock.

  • stay in/on/at sth It is becoming too expensive for small dairy farms to stay in business.

  • stay within sth Most departments had stayed within budget.