A judicial order forbidding or holding in abeyance some action until some particular event occurs, or until the court lifts the stay. A single justice of the United States Supreme Court has the power to stay an injunction's being enforced pending an appeal to the full Court. See also injunction and restraining order. stay of execution. A procedure to prevent the carrying out of a judgment for a specified period of time; in the case of death penalty, an order from a higher court or executive b...