[f. STAY v.1 + -ER1.]
1. One who stays or remains. Chiefly with advb. phrase, as in stayer at home.
1591. R. Turnbull, St. James, 121. He that meeteth a wayfairing man, farre from al path or highway, wandring; and saith, go aright: yet teacheth not which hand he must turne on,… helpeth the staier nothing towardes his proposed iourney.
1729. Swift, Direct. Serv., Gen. (1745), 11. The Stayer at home may be comforted by a Visit from a Sweet-heart.
1788. Cowper, Lett. to Mrs. King, 28 Aug. I found you out to be sedentary, at least much a stayer within doors.
1805. W. Taylor, in Robberds, Mem. (1843), II. 72. My father is not very fond of long stayers, and I have more than once been obliged to interrupt the visits of friends of mine.
1851. Helps, Comp. Solit., viii. (1874), 144. A dignity such as the stayers at home never attained.
1853. R. S. Surtees, Sponge’s Sp. Tour (1893), 235. He seemed to think that, being a stayer, he was a superior being to the mere dinner-comers.
b. Sport. A person or animal having great ‘staying power.’
1862. Sporting Mag., May, 381. Asteroid proved to be another of the Stockwell stayers.
1874. Slang Dict., 309. Stayer, one likely to persevere, one not easily discouraged.
1887. Shearman, Athletics, 137. He could have beaten the [walking] record for seven miles, as he was a fine stayer.
2. One who or something that stops or restrains.
1597. Montgomerie, Cherrie & Slae, 697. For they ar the stayer Of vs, alsweill as he.
c. 1610. Sir J. Melvil, Mem. (Bannatyne Club), 350. Sa that they wha past betwen mycht appear to be … stayers of bludscheding.
1722, 1840. [see STAYER2 b].
1876. Morris, Sigurd, IV. 378. No stirrer nor slayer of strife.
