stay

1 :  to secure upright with or as if with stays

2 :  to incline (a mast) forward, aft, or to one side by the stays

:  to go about :  tack

1a :  the action of halting :  the state of being stoppedb :  a stopping or suspension of procedure or execution by judicial or executive order

2 obsolete :  self-control, moderation

3 :  a residence or sojourn in a place

4 :  capacity for endurance

1 :  one that serves as a prop :  support

2 :  a thin firm strip (as of plastic) used for stiffening a garment or part (such as a shirt collar)

3 :  a corset stiffened with bones —usually used in plural

1 :  to provide physical or moral support for :  sustain

2 :  to fix on something as a foundation

1 :  to remain after others have gone She stayed after the party to help.

2 :  to continue unchanged We stayed friends for many years.

3 :  to stop going forward :  pause He instructed the dog to stay.

4 :  to live for a while I'm staying with friends. We will stay at the shore for the summer.

5 :  to put a stop to :  halt The governor stayed the execution.

1 :  a period of living in a place Our stay in the country was too short.

2 :  the action of bringing to a stop :  the state of being stopped a stay of the execution

:  a strong rope or wire used to steady or brace something (as a mast)

1 :  ²prop, support

2 :  a thin firm strip (as of steel or plastic) used to stiffen a garment (as a corset) or part of a garment (as a shirt collar)

:  to hold up Supports stayed the sign.

:  to temporarily suspend or prevent by judicial or executive order may not grant an injunction to stay proceedings in a State court — U.S. Code

:  a temporary suspension or injunction of an action or process by a usually discretionary judicial or executive order a stay of execution of the judgment stay of a lower court's judgment pending certiorari — W. J. Brennan, Jr. — see also automatic stay — compare cease-and-desist order at order 3b, mandamus, supersedeas