The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Stay \Stay\, n. [Cf. OF. estai, F. ['e]tai support, and E. stay
   a rope to support a mast.]
   1. That which serves as a prop; a support. "My only strength
      and stay." --Milton.
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            Trees serve as so many stays for their vines.
                                                  --Addison.
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            Lord Liverpool is the single stay of this ministry.
                                                  --Coleridge.
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   2. pl. A corset stiffened with whalebone or other material,
      worn by women, and rarely by men.
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            How the strait stays the slender waist constrain.
                                                  --Gay.
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   3. Continuance in a place; abode for a space of time;
      sojourn; as, you make a short stay in this city.
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            Make haste, and leave thy business and thy care;
            No mortal interest can be worth thy stay. --Dryden.
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            Embrace the hero and his stay implore. --Waller.
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   4. Cessation of motion or progression; stand; stop.
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            Made of sphere metal, never to decay
            Until his revolution was at stay.     --Milton.
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            Affairs of state seemed rather to stand at a stay.
                                                  --Hayward.
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   5. Hindrance; let; check. [Obs.]
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            They were able to read good authors without any
            stay, if the book were not false.     --Robynson
                                                  (More's
                                                  Utopia).
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   6. Restraint of passion; moderation; caution; steadiness;
      sobriety. [Obs.] "Not grudging that thy lust hath bounds
      and stays." --Herbert.
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            The wisdom, stay, and moderation of the king.
                                                  --Bacon.
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            With prudent stay he long deferred
            The rough contention.                 --Philips.
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   7. (Engin.) Strictly, a part in tension to hold the parts
      together, or stiffen them.
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   Stay bolt (Mech.), a bolt or short rod, connecting opposite
      plates, so as to prevent them from being bulged out when
      acted upon by a pressure which tends to force them apart,
      as in the leg of a steam boiler.

   Stay busk, a stiff piece of wood, steel, or whalebone, for
      the front support of a woman's stays. Cf. Busk.

   Stay rod, a rod which acts as a stay, particularly in a
      steam boiler.
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