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Stand vs. Stay — What's the Difference?

Stand vs. Stay — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Stand and Stay

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Stand

To rise to an upright position on the feet.

Stay

To continue to be in a place or condition
Stay home.
Stay calm.

Stand

To assume or maintain an upright position as specified
Stand straight.
Stand to one side.

Stay

To remain or sojourn as a guest or lodger
Stayed at a motel.

Stand

To maintain an upright position on the feet.
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Stay

To linger or wait in order to do or experience something
We stayed to watch the final minutes of the game.

Stand

To maintain an upright or vertical position on a base or support
The urn stands on a pedestal.

Stay

To continue or persist in an action or activity
Stayed with the original plan.
Stayed in college.

Stand

To be placed or situated
The building stands at the corner.

Stay

To keep up in a race or contest
Tried to stay with the lead runner.

Stand

To remain stable, upright, or intact
The old school still stands.

Stay

(Games) To meet a bet in poker without raising it.

Stand

To remain valid, effective, or unaltered
The agreement stands.

Stay

(Archaic) To stop moving or stop doing something.

Stand

To be or show a specified figure or amount
The balance stands at $500.

Stay

To remain during
Stayed the week with my parents.
Stayed the duration of the game.

Stand

To measure a specified height when in an upright position
Stands six feet tall.

Stay

To stop or restrain; check
Doubt stayed his hand.

Stand

To take up or maintain a specified position, altitude, or course
He stands on his earlier offer. We will stand firm.

Stay

To suspend by legal order the implementation of (a planned action), especially pending further proceedings
Stay a prisoner's execution.

Stand

To be in a position of possible gain or loss
She stands to make a fortune.

Stay

To satisfy or appease temporarily
Stayed his anger.

Stand

To be in a specified state or condition
I stand corrected. We stand in awe of the view.

Stay

(Archaic) To wait for; await
"I will not stay thy questions. Let me go.
/ Or if thou follow me, do not believe / But I shall do thee mischief in the wood" (Shakespeare).

Stand

To exist in a particular form
Send the message as it now stands.

Stay

To brace, support, or prop up
The tower is stayed with cables.

Stand

To be at a specified level on a scale or in an amount
Stands third in her class.
Stands high in reputation.

Stay

To put (a ship) on the opposite tack or to come about.

Stand

To come to a stop; remain motionless.

Stay

A brief period of residence or visiting.

Stand

To remain stationary or inactive
The car stood in the garage all winter.

Stay

The order by which a planned action is stayed.

Stand

To remain without flowing or being disturbed; be or become stagnant.

Stay

The consequence of such an order.

Stand

(Nautical) To take or hold a particular course or direction
A ship standing to windward.

Stay

The act of halting; check.

Stand

To be available as a sire. Used of horses.

Stay

The act of coming to a halt.

Stand

Chiefly British To be a candidate for public office.

Stay

A support or brace.

Stand

To cause to stand; place upright.

Stay

A strip of bone, plastic, or metal, used to stiffen a garment or part, such as a corset or shirt collar.

Stand

To engage in or encounter
Stand battle.

Stay

Stays A corset.

Stand

To resist successfully; withstand
Stand the test of time.
Will not stand close examination.

Stay

(Nautical) A heavy rope or cable, usually of wire, used as a brace or support for a mast or spar.

Stand

To put up with patiently or resolutely; bear
Can't stand the heat.

Stay

A rope used to steady, guide, or brace.

Stand

To submit to or undergo
Stand trial.

Stay

(transitive) To prop; support; sustain; hold up; steady.

Stand

To tolerate and benefit from
I could stand a good night's sleep.

Stay

(transitive) To support from sinking; to sustain with strength; to satisfy in part or for the time.

Stand

To perform the duty of
Stand guard.

Stay

To stop; detain; keep back; delay; hinder.

Stand

(Informal) To treat (someone) or pay the cost of (food or drink)
She stood him to a drink. We'll stand dinner.

Stay

To restrain; withhold; check; stop.

Stand

The act of standing.

Stay

To cause to cease; to put an end to.

Stand

A ceasing of work or activity; a standstill or halt.

Stay

To put off; defer; postpone; delay; keep back.
The governor stayed the execution until the appeal could be heard.

Stand

A stop on a performance tour.

Stay

(transitive) To hold the attention of. en

Stand

The place or station where a person stands.

Stay

To bear up under; to endure; to hold out against; to resist.

Stand

A booth, stall, or counter for the display of goods for sale.

Stay

To wait for; await.

Stand

A parking space reserved for taxis.

Stay

To remain for the purpose of; to stay to take part in or be present at (a meal, ceremony etc.).

Stand

A desperate or decisive effort at defense or resistance, as in a battle
Made their stand at the river.

Stay

To rest; depend; rely.

Stand

A position or opinion one is prepared to uphold
Must take a stand on environmental issues.

Stay

To stop; come to a stand or standstill.

Stand

Stands Rows of wooden or metal benches placed one above another for people watching a sports event or a performance.

Stay

To come to an end; cease.
That day the storm stayed.

Stand

(Law) A witness stand.

Stay

To dwell; linger; tarry; wait.

Stand

A small rack, prop, or table for holding any of various articles
A music stand.
A bedside stand.

Stay

To make a stand; to stand firm.

Stand

A group or growth of tall plants or trees
A stand of pine.

Stay

(intransitive) To hold out, as in a race or contest; last or persevere to the end; to show staying power.
That horse stays well.

Stand

To position or be positioned physically:

Stay

(intransitive) To remain in a particular place, especially for a definite or short period of time; sojourn; abide.
We stayed in Hawaii for a week.
I can only stay for an hour.

Stand

To support oneself on the feet in an erect position.
Here I stand, wondering what to do next.

Stay

To wait; rest in patience or expectation.

Stand

(intransitive) To rise to one’s feet; to stand up.
Stand up, walk to the refrigerator, and get your own snack.

Stay

To wait as an attendant; give ceremonious or submissive attendance.

Stand

To remain motionless.
Do not leave your car standing in the road.

Stay

To continue to have a particular quality.
Wear gloves so your hands stay warm.

Stand

(intransitive) To be placed in an upright or vertical orientation.

Stay

To live; reside
Hey, where do you stay at?

Stand

(transitive) To place in an upright or standing position.
He stood the broom in a corner and took a break.

Stay

To brace or support with a stay or stays
Stay a mast

Stand

(intransitive) To occupy or hold a place; to be set, placed, fixed, located, or situated.
Paris stands on the Seine.

Stay

To incline forward, aft, or to one side by means of stays.

Stand

(intransitive) To measure when erect on the feet.

Stay

To tack; put on the other tack.
To stay ship

Stand

To be present, to have welled up.

Stay

To change; tack; go about; be in stays, as a ship.

Stand

To position or be positioned mentally:

Stay

Continuance or a period of time spent in a place; abode for an indefinite time.
I hope you enjoyed your stay in Hawaii.

Stand

To be positioned to gain or lose.
He stands to get a good price for the house.

Stay

(legal) A postponement, especially of an execution or other punishment.
The governor granted a stay of execution.

Stand

To tolerate.
I can’t stand when people don’t read the instructions.
I can’t stand him.

Stay

(archaic) A stop; a halt; a break or cessation of action, motion, or progress.
Stand at a stay

Stand

To maintain one's ground; to be acquitted; not to fail or yield; to be safe.

Stay

A fixed state; fixedness; stability; permanence.

Stand

To maintain an invincible or permanent attitude; to be fixed, steady, or firm; to take a position in resistance or opposition.

Stay

(nautical) A station or fixed anchorage for vessels.

Stand

To be in some particular state; to have essence or being; to be; to consist.

Stay

Restraint of passion; prudence; moderation; caution; steadiness; sobriety.

Stand

To position or be positioned socially:

Stay

(obsolete) Hindrance; let; check.

Stand

To act as an umpire.

Stay

A prop; a support.

Stand

(transitive) To undergo; withstand; hold up.
The works of Shakespeare have stood the test of time.

Stay

A piece of stiff material, such as plastic or whalebone, used to stiffen a piece of clothing.
Where are the stays for my collar?

Stand

To be a candidate (in an election).
He is standing for election to the local council.

Stay

(in the plural) A corset.

Stand

(intransitive) To be valid.
What I said yesterday still stands.

Stay

(archaic) A fastening for a garment; a hook; a clasp; anything to hang another thing on.

Stand

(transitive) To oppose, usually as a team, in competition.

Stay

(nautical) A strong rope or wire supporting a mast, and leading from one masthead down to some other, or other part of the vessel.

Stand

(transitive) To cover the expense of; to pay for.
To stand a round of drinks
To stand a treat
To stand bail (security in respect of an arrested person)

Stay

A guy, rope, or wire supporting or stabilizing a platform, such as a bridge, a pole, such as a tentpole, the mast of a derrick, or other structural element.
The engineer insisted on using stays for the scaffolding.

Stand

(intransitive) To have or maintain a position, order, or rank; to be in a particular relation.
Christian charity, or love, stands first in the rank of gifts.

Stay

The transverse piece in a chain-cable link.

Stand

(intransitive) To be consistent; to agree; to accord.

Stay

Steep; ascending.

Stand

(intransitive) To appear in court.

Stay

(of a roof) Steeply pitched.

Stand

Of a ship or its captain, to steer, sail (in a specified direction, for a specified destination etc.).

Stay

Difficult to negotiate; not easy to access; sheer.

Stand

To remain without ruin or injury.

Stay

Stiff; upright; unbending; reserved; haughty; proud.

Stand

(card games) To stop asking for more cards; to keep one's hand as it has been dealt so far.

Stay

Steeply.

Stand

The act of standing.

Stay

A large, strong rope, employed to support a mast, by being extended from the head of one mast down to some other, or to some part of the vessel. Those which lead forward are called fore-and-aft stays; those which lead to the vessel's side are called backstays. See Illust. of Ship.

Stand

A defensive position or effort.
The Commander says we will make our stand here.

Stay

That which serves as a prop; a support.
Trees serve as so many stays for their vines.
Lord Liverpool is the single stay of this ministry.

Stand

A resolute, unwavering position; firm opinion; action for a purpose in the face of opposition.
They took a firm stand against copyright infringement.

Stay

A corset stiffened with whalebone or other material, worn by women, and rarely by men.
How the strait stays the slender waist constrain.

Stand

A period of performance in a given location or venue.
They have a four-game stand at home against the Yankees.
They spent the summer touring giving 4 one-night stands a week.

Stay

Continuance in a place; abode for a space of time; sojourn; as, you make a short stay in this city.
Make haste, and leave thy business and thy care;No mortal interest can be worth thy stay.
Embrace the hero and his stay implore.

Stand

A device to hold something upright or aloft.
He set the music upon the stand and began to play.
An umbrella stand;
A hat-stand

Stay

Cessation of motion or progression; stand; stop.
Made of sphere metal, never to decayUntil his revolution was at stay.
Affairs of state seemed rather to stand at a stay.

Stand

The platform on which a witness testifies in court; the witness stand or witness box.
She took the stand and quietly answered questions.

Stay

Hindrance; let; check.
They were able to read good authors without any stay, if the book were not false.

Stand

(historical) An area of raised seating for waiters at the stock exchange.

Stay

Restraint of passion; moderation; caution; steadiness; sobriety.
The wisdom, stay, and moderation of the king.
With prudent stay he long deferredThe rough contention.

Stand

A particular grove or other group of trees or shrubs.
This stand of pines is older than the one next to it.

Stay

Strictly, a part in tension to hold the parts together, or stiffen them.

Stand

(forestry) A contiguous group of trees sufficiently uniform in age-class distribution, composition, and structure, and growing on a site of sufficiently uniform quality, to be a distinguishable unit.

Stay

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.
Sallows and reeds . . . for vineyards useful foundTo stay thy vines.

Stand

A standstill, a motionless state, as of someone confused, or a hunting dog who has found game.

Stay

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.

Stand

A small building, booth, or stage, as in a bandstand or hamburger stand.

Stay

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.

Stand

A designated spot where someone or something may stand or wait.
A taxi stand

Stay

To hold from proceeding; to withhold; to restrain; to stop; to hold.
Him backward overthrew and down him stayedWith their rude hands and grisly grapplement.
All that may stay their minds from thinking that true which they heartily wish were false.

Stand

The situation of a shop, store, hotel, etc.
A good, bad, or convenient stand for business

Stay

To hinder; to delay; to detain; to keep back.
Your ships are stayed at Venice.
This business staid me in London almost a week.
I was willing to stay my reader on an argument that appeared to me new.

Stand

(sports) Grandstand. often in the plural

Stay

To remain for the purpose of; to wait for.

Stand

(cricket) A partnership.

Stay

To cause to cease; to put an end to.
Stay your strife.
For flattering planets seemed to sayThis child should ills of ages stay.

Stand

A single set, as of arms.

Stay

To fasten or secure with stays; as, to stay a flat sheet in a steam boiler.

Stand

(obsolete) Rank; post; station; standing.

Stay

To tack, as a vessel, so that the other side of the vessel shall be presented to the wind.

Stand

(dated) A state of perplexity or embarrassment.
To be at a stand what to do

Stay

To remain; to continue in a place; to abide fixed for a space of time; to stop; to stand still.
She would command the hasty sun to stay.
Stay, I command you; stay and hear me first.
I stay a little longer, as one staysTo cover up the embers that still burn.

Stand

A young tree, usually reserved when other trees are cut; also, a tree growing or standing upon its own root, in distinction from one produced from a scion set in a stock, either of the same or another kind of tree.

Stay

To continue in a state.
The flames augment, and stayAt their full height, then languish to decay.

Stand

A location or position where one may stand.

Stay

To wait; to attend; to forbear to act.
I 'll tell thee all my whole deviceWhen I am in my coach, which stays for us.
The father can not stay any longer for the fortune.

Stand

(advertising) An advertisement filling an entire billboard, comprising many sheets of paper.

Stay

To dwell; to tarry; to linger.
I must stay a little on one action.

Stand

(fiction) A type of supernatural ability from the anime and manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, named for the fact that they appear to 'stand' next to their user.

Stay

To rest; to depend; to rely; to stand; to insist.
I stay here on my bond.
Ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon.

Stand

A container which stands upright, such as a barrel or cask.

Stay

To come to an end; to cease; as, that day the storm stayed.
Here my commission stays.

Stand

(obsolete) A weight of from two hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds, used in weighing pitch.

Stay

To hold out in a race or other contest; as, a horse stays well.

Stand

To be at rest in an erect position; to be fixed in an upright or firm position
It stands as it were to the ground yglued.
The ruined wallStands when its wind-worn battlements are gone.

Stay

To change tack, as a ship.

Stand

To occupy or hold a place; to have a situation; to be situated or located; as, Paris stands on the Seine.
Wite ye not where there stands a little town?

Stay

Continuing or remaining in a place or state;
They had a nice stay in Paris
A lengthy hospital stay
A four-month stay in bankruptcy court

Stand

To cease from progress; not to proceed; to stop; to pause; to halt; to remain stationary.
I charge thee, stand,And tell thy name.
The star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

Stay

A judicial order forbidding some action until an event occurs or the order is lifted;
The Supreme Court has the power to stay an injunction pending an appeal to the whole Court

Stand

To remain without ruin or injury; to hold good against tendencies to impair or injure; to be permanent; to endure; to last; hence, to find endurance, strength, or resources.
My mind on its own center stands unmoved.

Stay

The state of inactivity following an interruption;
The negotiations were in arrest
Held them in check
During the halt he got some lunch
The momentary stay enabled him to escape the blow
He spent the entire stop in his seat

Stand

To maintain one's ground; to be acquitted; not to fail or yield; to be safe.
Readers by whose judgment I would stand or fall.

Stay

(nautical) brace consisting of a heavy rope or wire cable used as a support for a mast or spar

Stand

To maintain an invincible or permanent attitude; to be fixed, steady, or firm; to take a position in resistance or opposition.
The king granted the Jews . . . to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life.

Stay

A thin strip of metal or bone that is used to stiffen a garment (e.g. a corset)

Stand

To adhere to fixed principles; to maintain moral rectitude; to keep from falling into error or vice.
We must labor so as to stand with godliness, according to his appointment.

Stay

Stay the same; remain in a certain state;
The dress remained wet after repeated attempts to dry it
Rest assured
Stay alone
He remained unmoved by her tears
The bad weather continued for another week

Stand

To have or maintain a position, order, or rank; to be in a particular relation; as, Christian charity, or love, stands first in the rank of gifts.

Stay

Stay put (in a certain place);
We are staying in Detroit; we are not moving to Cincinnati
Stay put in the corner here!
Stick around and you will learn something!

Stand

To be in some particular state; to have essence or being; to be; to consist.
Accomplish what your signs foreshow;I stand resigned, and am prepared to go.
Thou seest how it stands with me, and that I may not tarry.

Stay

Dwell;
You can stay with me while you are in town
Stay a bit longer--the day is still young

Stand

To be consistent; to agree; to accord.
Doubt me not; by heaven, I will do nothingBut what may stand with honor.

Stay

Continue in a place, position, or situation;
After graduation, she stayed on in Cambridge as a student adviser
Stay with me, please
Despite student protests, he remained Dean for another year
She continued as deputy mayor for another year

Stand

To hold a course at sea; as, to stand from the shore; to stand for the harbor.
From the same parts of heaven his navy stands.

Stay

Remain behind;
I had to stay at home and watch the children

Stand

To offer one's self, or to be offered, as a candidate.
He stood to be elected one of the proctors of the university.

Stay

Stop or halt;
Please stay the bloodshed!

Stand

To stagnate; not to flow; to be motionless.
Or the black water of Pomptina stands.

Stay

Stay behind;
The smell stayed in the room
The hostility remained long after they made up

Stand

To measure when erect on the feet.
Six feet two, as I think, he stands.

Stay

A trial of endurance;
Ride out the storm

Stand

To be or remain as it is; to continue in force; to have efficacy or validity; to abide.

Stay

Stop a judicial process;
The judge stayed the execution order

Stand

To be, or signify that one is, willing to play with one's hand as dealt.

Stay

Fasten with stays

Stand

To endure; to sustain; to bear; as, I can not stand the cold or the heat.

Stay

Overcome or allay;
Quell my hunger

Stand

To resist, without yielding or receding; to withstand.
He stood the furious foe.

Stand

To abide by; to submit to; to suffer.
Bid him disband his legions, . . . And stand the judgment of a Roman senate.

Stand

To set upright; to cause to stand; as, to stand a book on the shelf; to stand a man on his feet.

Stand

To be at the expense of; to pay for; as, to stand a treat.

Stand

The act of standing.
I took my stand upon an eminence . . . to look into their several ladings.

Stand

A halt or stop for the purpose of defense, resistance, or opposition; as, to come to, or to make, a stand.
Vice is at stand, and at the highest flow.

Stand

A place or post where one stands; a place where one may stand while observing or waiting for something.
I have found you out a stand most fit,Where you may have such vantage on the duke,He shall not pass you.

Stand

A station in a city or town where carriages or wagons stand for hire; as, a cab stand.

Stand

A raised platform or station where a race or other outdoor spectacle may be viewed; as, the judge's or the grand stand at a race course.

Stand

A small table; also, something on or in which anything may be laid, hung, or placed upright; as, a hatstand; an umbrella stand; a music stand.

Stand

The place where a witness stands to testify in court.

Stand

The situation of a shop, store, hotel, etc.; as, a good, bad, or convenient stand for business.

Stand

Rank; post; station; standing.
Father, since your fortune did attainSo high a stand, I mean not to descend.

Stand

A state of perplexity or embarrassment; as, to be at a stand what to do.

Stand

A young tree, usually reserved when other trees are cut; also, a tree growing or standing upon its own root, in distinction from one produced from a scion set in a stock, either of the same or another kind of tree.

Stand

A weight of from two hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds, - used in weighing pitch.

Stand

A support or foundation;
The base of the lamp

Stand

The position where a thing or person stands

Stand

A growth of similar plants (usually trees) in a particular area;
They cut down a stand of trees

Stand

A small table for holding articles of various kinds;
A bedside stand

Stand

A support for displaying various articles;
The newspapers were arranged on a rack

Stand

An interruption of normal activity

Stand

A mental position from which things are viewed;
We should consider this problem from the viewpoint of the Russians
Teaching history gave him a special point of view toward current events

Stand

A booth where articles are displayed for sale

Stand

A stop made by a touring musical or theatrical group to give a performance;
A one-night stand

Stand

Tiered seats consisting of a structure (often made of wood) where people can sit to watch an event (game or parade)

Stand

A platform where a (brass) band can play in the open air

Stand

A defensive effort;
The army made a final stand at the Rhone

Stand

Be standing; be upright;
We had to stand for the entire performance!

Stand

Be in some specified state or condition;
I stand corrected

Stand

Occupy a place or location, also metaphorically;
We stand on common ground

Stand

Hold one's ground; maintain a position; be steadfast or upright;
I am standing my ground and won't give in!

Stand

Have or maintain a position or stand on an issue;
Where do you stand on the War?

Stand

Put up with something or somebody unpleasant;
I cannot bear his constant criticism
The new secretary had to endure a lot of unprofessional remarks
He learned to tolerate the heat
She stuck out two years in a miserable marriage

Stand

Remain inactive or immobile;
Standing water

Stand

Be in effect; be or remain in force;
The law stands!

Stand

Be tall; have a height of; copula;
She stands 6 feet tall

Stand

Put into an upright position;
Can you stand the bookshelf up?

Stand

Withstand the force of something;
The trees resisted her
Stand the test of time
The mountain climbers had to fend against the ice and snow

Stand

Be available for stud services;
Male domestic animals such as stallions serve selected females

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