The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - stayэ n.

1) guy, line, rope, cable, chain, support, brace, reinforcement; Technical head-stay, (running) backstay, forestay, mainstay, mizen-stay: If one of those stays gives way, the entire structure may fall. --v. 2) support, strengthen, secure, reinforce, brace, buttress, gird, shore (up) : The mast is stayed by two steel cables, fore and aft.