ENGLISH
REFERENCE

stays

n.
US //ˈsteɪz// UK //stˈeɪz// stays
  1. 1 historical corset (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic

    a stiff piece of underwear worn by women in the past to shape their bodies.

    a historical term for a corset or a stiffened undergarment worn to support the torso.

    Example

    In the 18th century, women wore stays made of whalebone to keep their posture straight.

    Example

    The museum's textile collection includes several well-preserved pairs of eighteenth-century stays, illustrating the restrictive nature of period fashion.

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