Phrasal verbs with stay

When you use stay in phrasal verbs, you're talking about remaining somewhere or continuing to do something – but the particle you add changes exactly what kind of staying you mean. The basic idea of stay is about not moving or not changing your situation.

Some particles focus on where you are physically. If you stay in, you remain at home instead of going out. Stay behind means you remain in a place after everyone else has gone, and stay over means you sleep somewhere that isn't your usual home. Stay out can mean you don't come home at night, staying somewhere else instead.

Other particles are about avoiding things or keeping your distance. Stay away means you deliberately don't go near a place or person. Stay off something means you avoid using it – you might stay off social media or stay off work when you're ill. Stay out of situations means you avoid getting involved in arguments or problems that don't concern you.

Then there are particles about time and continuation. Stay up means you remain awake past your normal bedtime, whilst stay on means you continue in a job, school, or place longer than originally planned. Notice how stay keeps its core meaning of "remaining" in each case, but the particle shows you exactly what type of remaining you're talking about.