Stay means to remain in a place rather than leave. When your parents tell you to stay in the yard, they want you to keep playing there instead of wandering off. When a dog learns to stay, it holds its position even when excited or distracted. A guest might stay for dinner, remaining at your house longer than originally planned.

The word also describes visiting somewhere temporarily. Your family might stay at a hotel during vacation, living there for a few days before returning home. A stay at summer camp lasts a week or two. This kind of stay has a beginning and an end.

Stay can mean to continue in a certain condition. When you stay calm during a fire drill, you keep your composure instead of panicking. When milk stays fresh in the refrigerator, it remains good to drink. Teachers might ask students to stay quiet during a test.

In older stories, you might see characters told to stay their hand, meaning to hold back or pause before acting. A judge can also stay a legal proceeding, officially postponing it.

The key idea connects all these meanings: remaining in place, remaining in a condition, or delaying action. Whether it's staying put in one spot or staying patient through a long wait, you're holding steady rather than shifting to something different.