stay of execution
11
8.9
- noun
- /steɪ ʌv ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.ʃən/
- Formal
:
suspensión de la ejecución
- After several appeals, the lawyers were able to secure a stay of execution for their client.
Obviously, I'm hoping that the Supreme Court's going to grant a stay of execution at this point.
- Obviously, I'm hoping that the Supreme Court's going to grant a stay of execution at this point.
Examples
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On Dec. 4, the Supreme Court upheld a stay of execution to allow another appeal.
Blog text (17) -
They were granted a stay of execution.
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I believe we have won a stay of execution.
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- Ladies and gentlemen, we have a stay of execution.
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This... is a stay of execution ordered by the Governor.
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We have a stay of execution.
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So, they got themselves a temporary stay of execution.
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However, for now, there is a stay of execution for Greece.
Blog text (17) -
Obviously, I'm hoping that the Supreme Court's going to grant a stay of execution at this point.
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He was sentenced to death but won a stay of execution in 1990.
Academic text (2002)
Synonyms
48
8.0
A court order that stops a legal action for a time
6
7.4
An official order that delays a prisoner's punishment, often an execution
An order that stops a court judgment from being enforced until an appeal is heard
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositional: 'stay' (to stop or pause) combined with 'execution' (the enforcement or carrying out of a judgment) yields a temporary stopping of enforcement, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the meaning. This follows a common and cross-linguistically accessible pattern (stop + action), making the expression transparent rather than idiomatic.
Etymology
The term stay of execution comes from law: stay means 'to stop for a short time' and execution here means 'carrying out' a court sentence or punishment. So a stay of execution is an official order that pauses the punishment, for example to give time for an appeal.