stay

I 1. verb

1)

he stayed where he was

Syn:

remain (behind), stay behind, stay put; wait, linger, stick, be left, hold on, hang on, lodge; informal hang around; archaic bide, tarry

Ant:

leave

2)

they won't stay hidden

Syn:

continue (to be), remain, keep, persist in being, carry on being, go on being

3)

our aunt is staying with us

Syn:

visit, spend time, put up, stop (off/over); lodge, room, board, have rooms, be housed, be accommodated, be quartered, be billeted, vacation; formal sojourn; archaic bide

4)

legal proceedings were stayed

Syn:

postpone, put off, delay, defer, put back, hold over/off; adjourn, suspend, prorogue, put over, table, lay on the table, take a rain check on; Law continue; informal put on ice, put on the back burner

Ant:

advance

5) literary

we must stay the enemy's advance

Syn:

delay, slow down/up, hold back/up, set back, keep back, put back, put a brake on, retard; hinder, hamper, obstruct, inhibit, impede, curb, check, restrain, restrict, arrest; informal throw a (monkey) wrench in the works of

Ant:

promote

2. noun

1)

a stay at a hotel

Syn:

visit, stop, stop-off, stopover, overnight, break, vacation; formal sojourn

2)

a stay of judgment

Syn:

postponement, putting off, delay, deferment, deferral, putting back; adjournment, suspension, prorogation, tabling

II 1. noun

the stays holding up the mast

Syn:

strut, wire, brace, tether, guy, prop, rod, support, truss; Nautical shroud

2. verb

her masts were well stayed

Syn:

brace, tether, strut, wire, guy, prop, support, truss