stay out

See also: stayout

English

Verb

stay out (third-person singular simple present stays out, present participle staying out, simple past and past participle stayed out)

1. (intransitive) To spend time out of one's house.

   He stayed out all night in the bar.

   • 1972 March 14, Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather, spoken by Bonasera (Salvatore Corsitto), Paramount Pictures:

     She found a boyfriend. Not an Italian. She went to the movies with him. She stayed out late. I didn't protest.

2. (transitive) To avoid going into somewhere.

   He stayed out of the bar all night.

3. (obsolete) To outstay; to stay longer than.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, “Which Consists of Visiting”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume V, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book XIII, page 29:

     The company had now staid so long, that Mrs Fitzpatrick plainly perceived they all designed to stay out each other. She therefore resolved to rid herself of Jones, he being the visitant to whom she thought the least ceremony was due.

Derived terms

• stay out of

Anagrams

• outstay