stay in
A2 informal intransitive
In simple words
To not go out; to stay at home or inside
Literal meaning: To stay (remain) in — inside a building or at home
Meanings
1 A2 informal
To remain at home or inside a building rather than going out
"It's raining heavily, so I think I'll just stay in and watch a film."
2 A2
idiomatic
informal
(UK schools) To be kept inside during break or lunchtime as a punishment
"He had to stay in at lunch because he hadn't finished his homework."
Usage notes
Very common in British and American English. The opposite is 'go out'. Often used when explaining plans for an evening. Can also mean a student is kept inside at break time as a punishment (UK school usage).
Commonly used with
tonight evening weekend weather home break
Forms
Base
stay in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
stays in
he/she/it
Past simple
stayed in
yesterday
Past participle
stayed in
have + pp
-ing form
staying in
continuous
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Synonyms
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