stay back

stay back

1. To maintain a distance (from someone or something), especially for safety reasons. Often used as an order. Make sure you stay back from that cliff—one gust of wind could send you flying right over the edge! Stay back—Tom is still really contagious!
2. To remain in the same grade in school for another year. I think Tom was too young to have started kindergarten. Maybe he should stay back a year so he'll be at the same level as the other students. The teacher's going to make me stay back another year if I fail this next test.
3. To remain somewhere, especially work or school, after the end of normal hours. Sorry, honey, I won't be home in time for dinner. I have to stay back and help get this prototype finished for the meeting tomorrow. The school wants me to start staying back for an extra hour three days a week to offer help to students who may be falling behind.
See also: back, stay

stay back (from someone or something)

To maintain a distance from someone or something, especially for safety reasons. Often used as an order. Make sure you stay back from that cliff—one gust of wind could send you flying right over the edge! The children always try to stay back from the scary old man who lived on the corner of their neighborhood. Stay back—Tom is still really contagious!
See also: back, someone, stay
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

stay back (from something)

to keep one's distance from someone or something. Stay back from the lawn mower! This is dangerous. Stay back!
See also: back, stay
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

stay back

v.
1. To refrain from approaching. Used chiefly as a command: Stay back!—I've got a knife.
2. To repeat a grade level in school: The teacher suggested that our child stay back a year.
See also: back, stay
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • stay back (from someone or something)
  • stay away
  • stay away (from someone or something)
  • remain away
  • remain away (from someone or something)
  • a capful of wind
  • put some distance between
  • put some distance between (someone or something)
  • put some distance between someone and someone/something
  • blow someone out
References in classic literature
She told Toto and Billina to stay back while she slowly advanced toward the group that stood silently awaiting her.
The Emerald City of Oz
In token of this, a great many doors were opening and shutting, two or three people stood irresolutely on the stairs, now going a few steps up, and now a few steps down, and Sir Francis himself had come out from his study, with the "Times" under his arm, and a complaint about noise and draughts from the open door which, at least, had the effect of bundling the people who did not want to go into the carriage, and sending those who did not want to stay back to their rooms.
Night and Day
"So I did not stay back to win, I stayed back to keep my word," she said.
Won Amethi because I did not treat people as vote bank: Smriti Irani
According to a military source in the area, some militants chose to stay back and try to fend off the Syrian Arab Army attack; however, they ultimately gave us their fight by either surrendering to the military or fleeing to the Turkish observation post at Morek.
Syrian Army achieves major victory after militants abandoned northern Hama: maps
'The governor's absence at the meeting of Progressive Governors with the President in Daura, Katsina State, earlier in the day got the attention of President Buhari and was informed of the death of Madam Rekiya, whose burial made Governor Bello stay back in his State,'' Shehu said.
Buhari Condoles With Gov Bello Over Step-Mother's Death
The statement said the Governor's absence at the meeting of Progressive Governors with the President in Daura, Katsina State earlier in the day got the attention of President Buhari and was informed of the death of Madam Rekiya, whose burial made Governor Bello to stay back in his State.
Gov. Bello loses mother, Buhari commiserates
Thankfully, 12 of our crew members were repatriated and we were asked to stay back. But this wait seems indefinite.
Six sailors asked to remain on arrested ship 'indefinitely'
Ahmed Musa failed to show up for Tuesday's pre-match conference ahead of the Guinea match, but the Al-Nassr player preferred to stay back with his colleagues for a 'crucial' player's meeting at the Helnan Palestine Hotel.
Nigeria camp in disarray as players protest unpaid bonuses ...ahead of today's game against Guinea
After completion of the regional events, the A team will stay back to compete in the second IBSF World Team Cup which runs rom June 29 to July 2.
PBSF announces four-member team
KARACHI -- In an unfortunate turn of events for Lahore Qalanders, their ace batsmen AB de Villiers will no longer be playing for the team owing to an injury due to which he has been advised to stay back. The manager of Lahore Qalanders Sameen Rana revealed the news of him backing out of PSL due to that may have come as a blow for the Qalander fans as he had played a huge part in elevating the game for the team.
AB de Villiers out of PSL before Pakistan leg
The former foreign minister's family is already in theUS, whom he joined two weeks ago after being asked to stay back by former premier Nawaz Sharif.
Haven't fled, will return to Pakistan soon: Khawaja Asif
A woman is then seen approaching the youths as the man with the axe appears to tell her to stay back.
Man armed with AXE chases gang of youths on Glasgow street in shocking video; A man can be seen running towards a number of other armed men wielding a hatchet in a heated exchange
The other option is to stay back for 90 minutes, waiting there and defending as best as possible and hoping God can help us from above.
PEP EARLY WORDS
During the current amnesty, applicants are also renewing their passports, to be able to stay back in the country.
Indian amnesty seekers urged not to delay applying