stay (v.1)

mid-15c., steien, transitive, "detain, hold back," from Old French estai-, stem of estare "to stay or stand," from Latin stare "to stand, stand still, remain standing; be upright, be erect; stand firm, stand in battle; abide; be unmovable; be motionless; remain, tarry, linger; take a side," (source also of Italian stare, Spanish estar "to stand, to be"), from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm."

Originally in Middle English also intransitive, "cease going forward, come to a halt," a sense now obsolete. The meaning "remain" (as opposed to "depart, go away") is recorded from 1570s but is implied earlier in late 14c. surname Steyhame. The meaning "reside as a guest for a short period" is from 1550s.

Of things, "remain in place," 1590s. The transitive sense of "render motionless" is by 1620s. The legal sense of "put off, defer, postpone" is from 1520s. Related: Stayed; staying.

As a word of command or injunction, "pause, stop, cease!" by 1580s. Verbal phrase stay put "remain where placed" is recorded by 1834, American English. "To stay put is to keep still, remain in order. A vulgar expression" [Bartlett]. To come to stay "become permanent" is by 1853. A stay-stomach was (1800) "a snack."

"a support, prop, brace, something that steadies something else," early 14c., stai, from Old French estaie "piece of wood used as a support," which is perhaps from Frankish *staka "support" or some other Germanic word. The source is Proto-Germanic *stagaz (source also of Middle Dutch stake "stick," Old English steli "steel," stæg "rope used to support a mast"), from PIE *stak- "to stand, place" (see stay (n.2)).

In some senses the English word is from or influenced by stay (v.2) "support, sustain." For the sense of "waistcoat stiffened with whalebone, etc.," see stays.

"strong rope which supports a ship's mast," Middle English stai, Anglo-French estai, from Old English stæg "rope used to support a mast," from Proto-Germanic *stagaz (source also of Dutch stag, Low German stach, German Stag, Old Norse stag "stay of a ship"), from PIE *stak- "to stand, place" (perhaps ultimately an extended form of root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm").

The Romanic words (Old French estai, French étai, Spanish estay) are from Germanic. Transferred by 1530s to other supporting ropes or wires.

"to prop, support, sustain," early 15c., staien, from Old French estaiier (Modern French étayer), originally in nautical use, "secure by stays," from estaie "a support, a prop" (see stay (n.1) and compare stay (n.2)).

The nautical sense in English is attested from 1620s. Related: Stayed; staying. With extended senses is sporting: to stay as "to hold out," in a race or contest, especially "persevere to the end" is by 1834, of horses. Hence to stay with "keep up with" (a competitor), by 1887, and phrase stay the course, originally (1858) in reference to horses sustaining a strong pace to the end of the race. Staying power "capability of continued effort or endurance" is attested by 1855.

1520s, "continuance in a place; stationary position, standstill," from stay (v.1). The meaning "a stop, a halt, a break or cessation of action" is by 1530s; the legal sense of "suspension of judicial proceedings" is from 1540s.