The Collaborative International Dictionary
Stay \Stay\ (st[=a]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stayed (st[=a]d) or Staid (st[=a]d); p. pr. & vb. n. Staying.] [OF. estayer, F. ['e]tayer to prop, fr. OF. estai, F. ['e]tai, a prop, probably fr. OD. stade, staeye, a prop, akin to E. stead; or cf. stay a rope to support a mast. Cf. Staid, a., Stay, v. i.]
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To stop from motion or falling; to prop; to fix firmly; to hold up; to support.
Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side.
--Ex. xvii. 1 -
Sallows and reeds . . . for vineyards useful found To stay thy vines.
--Dryden.2. To support from sinking; to sustain with strength; to satisfy in part or for the time.
He has devoured a whole loaf of bread and butter, and it has not staid his stomach for a minute.
--Sir W. Scott. -
To bear up under; to endure; to support; to resist successfully.
She will not stay the siege of loving terms, Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes.
--Shak. -
To hold from proceeding; to withhold; to restrain; to stop; to hold.
Him backward overthrew and down him stayed With their rude hands and grisly grapplement.
--Spenser.All that may stay their minds from thinking that true which they heartily wish were false.
--Hooker. -
To hinder; to delay; to detain; to keep back.
Your ships are stayed at Venice.
--Shak.This business staid me in London almost a week.
--Evelyn.I was willing to stay my reader on an argument that appeared to me new.
--Locke. To remain for the purpose of; to wait for. ``I stay dinner there.''
--Shak.-
To cause to cease; to put an end to.
Stay your strife.
--Shak.For flattering planets seemed to say This child should ills of ages stay.
--Emerson. (Engin.) To fasten or secure with stays; as, to stay a flat sheet in a steam boiler.
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(Naut.) To tack, as a vessel, so that the other side of the vessel shall be presented to the wind.
To stay a mast (Naut.), to incline it forward or aft, or to one side, by the stays and backstays.