English

gainstay

From gain- + stay (“to stand”).

Formed from gain- + stay ‘to stand’

Proto-Germanic *gagin ‘towards, against’

Proto-West Germanic *gagin

English gain-

Old French estaye ‘a prop, stay’

Old French estayer ‘to fix, prop up, support, stay’

Middle English steyen

English stay

Today it means

verb To stand against or in opposition to; resist; oppose.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / gainstay