stays
stays — verb
- stayspresent simple I / you / we / they
- stayses3rd person singular
- staysing-ing form
- staysedpast simple
1. to choose to be in the same place or situation instead of moving away or changin
to choose to be in the same place or situation instead of moving away or changing to something else
Henrik stayed at the table long after everyone else had left the room.
stay + at + [place]
The children stayed indoors because the rain did not stop all morning.
Nadia decided to stay in her job for another year before looking for something new.
The doctor told the patient to stay in bed for three days after the surgery.
The cat stayed by the window all afternoon, watching the birds in the garden.
文法句型
stay + adverb/prepositional phrase
用法筆記
Frequently followed by a prepositional phrase (at, in, by, with) or an adverb (here, there, inside). The imperative 'Stay!' is common in commands to people or animals.
常見錯誤
2. to keep being in a particular condition or to carry on doing something without s
to keep being in a particular condition or to carry on doing something without stopping
Leo stayed calm when the fire alarm went off in the middle of the exam.
stay + [adjective] — linking verb pattern
Emily stayed focused on her painting even though the children were playing loudly nearby.
The weather stayed warm throughout autumn, so the farmers had a good harvest.
The shop stayed open until midnight during the New Year festival.
Please stay seated until the bus has come to a complete stop.
文法句型
stay + adjective
stay + present participle
用法筆記
As a linking verb, 'stay' takes an adjective directly — do NOT insert 'to be' between them (❌ 'stay to be calm'). The present participle form (stay + doing) is common for continuous actions: 'stay working', 'stay talking'.
常見錯誤
3. to spend time somewhere as a guest or visitor for a limited period, usually a fe
to spend time somewhere as a guest or visitor for a limited period, usually a few days or weeks
The Watanabe family stayed at a small hotel near the beach during their summer holiday.
Aarav stayed with his cousin while he looked for an apartment in the city.
stay + with + [person] — staying as a guest in someone's home
Hana stayed in Paris for three days before visiting her aunt in Lyon.
The scientists stayed at a research station in Antarctica for six months.
Many tourists stay in the old town because it is close to the main attractions.
- depart
to leave a place, especially at the start of a journey
文法句型
stay + at/in/with + [place/person]
stay + for + [duration]
用法筆記
When used of a longer period (months, years), it can suggest a temporary living arrangement rather than a permanent home. Contrast with sense 5 (LIVE PERMANENTLY), which implies no plan to leave.
常見錯誤
4. to sleep at a place for one night, especially when away from home
to sleep at a place for one night, especially when away from home
The hikers stayed overnight at a cabin in the mountains before continuing their journey.
stay + overnight — common fixed phrase
Zayd stayed at his friend's apartment after the concert since the last train had left.
The guests stayed the night in the spare bedroom after the dinner party.
Mira stayed at an airport hotel because her flight left early in the morning.
The travellers stayed one night in Kyoto before taking the train to Tokyo.
- spend the night
more explicit about the overnight duration
- sleep over
informal; often used by or about children
文法句型
stay + overnight
stay + at/in + [place]
stay + the night
用法筆記
This sense is distinct from sense 3 (SHORT VISIT) in that it specifically refers to sleeping overnight. 'Stay the night' is an idiomatic construction where 'the night' functions as an object — unusual for an intransitive verb.
常見錯誤
5. to live in a place as your permanent home, without planning to move away
to live in a place as your permanent home, without planning to move away
After retiring, the Okonkwo family stayed in the village where they had always lived.
stay + in + [place] — permanent residence
Eli stayed in his hometown while his friends moved to the city for work.
Nkechi decided to stay in Canada after finishing her studies at the university there.
The old couple stayed in their house even after the neighbourhood had changed completely.
Vinícius stayed in Brazil while his brother travelled around Europe for two years.
文法句型
stay + in + [place]
stay + at + [place]
用法筆記
This sense often appears in contrast with moving away: 'stay' vs 'leave/move/emigrate'. The context (mention of hometown, country of origin) makes the permanence clear. Distinguish from sense 3 (SHORT VISIT) by the implied duration — sense 5 suggests years or indefinitely.
常見錯誤
stays — noun
- stayssingular
- staysesplural
1. the number of days or weeks you visit a place, especially as a traveller or some
the number of days or weeks you visit a place, especially as a traveller or someone receiving medical care
The family enjoyed a two-week stay at the beach house.
possessive + stay + at + [place]
During his stay in Tokyo, Leo visited the Meiji Shrine and tried sushi for the first time.
possessive + stay + in + [place] — noun pattern
The doctor recommended a short stay in hospital after the operation to monitor her recovery.
Nadia's stay in London was cut short when her office sent an urgent message.
We hope you enjoy your stay at the Grand Hotel and find the city charming.
文法句型
[possessive] + stay + in/at + [place]
a/an + [adjective] + stay
用法筆記
Commonly used with adjectives describing duration (short, long, brief, extended) or purpose (hospital stay, hotel stay, business stay). The phrase 'enjoy your stay' is a fixed polite expression used in hotels and hospitality.
常見錯誤
2. a formal order from a court of law that temporarily stops a legal judgment from
a formal order from a court of law that temporarily stops a legal judgment from being carried out while new evidence is examined
The judge granted a stay of the court order while the lawyers gathered more evidence.
grant + a stay + of + [legal order]
The company's lawyers asked for a stay of the ruling until an appeal is filed.
The appeal court issued a temporary stay on the construction project pending an environmental review.
Eitan's legal team argued for a stay of execution to examine new evidence.
The stay was lifted after the court reviewed the new documents submitted by both parties.
- postponement
more general; not limited to legal contexts
- suspension
implies a temporary halt that may or may not be lifted
- proceed
to continue with a legal process
文法句型
stay + of + [legal process]
grant/lift/issue + a stay
用法筆記
The most common collocation is 'stay of execution' (postponement of a death sentence or a court judgment). 'Grant a stay', 'lift a stay', and 'issue a stay' are standard verb collocations in legal contexts.
常見錯誤
3. a thin, stiff strip sewn into a piece of clothing to help it keep its shape, or
a thin, stiff strip sewn into a piece of clothing to help it keep its shape, or the tightly fitting undergarment with such strips that women wore in the past to shape their bodies
The old corset had steel stays sewn into the fabric to keep its shape.
In the museum, Hana examined a dress with stays from the early nineteenth century.
Tailors once used whalebone stays to stiffen the collars of formal shirts worn by gentlemen.
The historical costume included a bodice with removable plastic stays for easy cleaning.
Women in the eighteenth century wore stays under their dresses to shape their fashionable silhouette.
用法筆記
When referring to the undergarment, 'stays' is always plural (like 'trousers' or 'scissors'). When referring to the individual stiff strips within a garment, 'stays' is also the preferred plural form (singular 'stay' is rare but possible). Historically made of whalebone or metal; modern versions use plastic or metal.