stay

CEFRA1

/steɪ/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To remain in a place or situation.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    To continue to have a particular quality.

Examples

  • How long did you stay?

  • I enjoyed my stay in Prague.

At a glance

Sits at A1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /stei/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings
  1. To prop; support; sustain; hold up; steady.

  2. To remain in a particular place, especially for a definite or short period of time; sojourn; abide.

  3. To support from sinking; to sustain with strength; to satisfy in part or for the time.

More examples

In context
  • I'm sorry, I can't stay long.

  • We stayed in Hawaii for a week. I can only stay for an hour.

  • Wear gloves so your hands stay warm.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

She had to blank in the office until the work was done.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English steyen, staien, from Old French estayer, estaier (“to fix, prop up, support, stay”), from estaye, estaie (“a prop, stay”), from Middle Dutch staeye (“a prop, stay”), a contracted form of staede, stade (“a prop, stay, help, aid”) (compare Middle Dutch staeyen, staeden (“to make firm, stay, support, hold still, stabilise”)), from Proto-West Germanic *stadi (“a site, place, location, standing”), from Proto-Germanic *stadiz (“a standing, place”), from Proto-Indo-European *stéh₂tis (“standing”). Influenced by Old English stæġ ("a stay, rope"; see below). Cognate with Old English stede (“a place, spot, locality, fixed position, station, site, standing, status, position of a mo...