These words all mean to continue in one place. Remain and stay are often used interchangeably. In its narrower application, remain means to continue in one place after the removal, departure or destruction of other persons or things, whereas stay implies the temporary continuance in one place of a guest, resident or the like.

• Only the shell of the building remained after the explosion; He was invited to stay for supper.

If the fact that others have left is made explicit, either word may be used: He remained (or stayed ) in his seat after all the other students had gone home. But if the writer’s intention is to contrast staying with leaving, remain has more impact.

• All had left their seats and gone home hours ago; he remained.

Abide , as here considered, means to stay somewhere a long time, and often connotes residing. Abide is a formal word, and is often used in legal or other contexts requiring a word neutral in emotional connotation and precise in meaning: The child abided with his grandparents for three and a half years before being returned to his home.

Linger implies reluctance to leave, usually because what one is doing is pleasant; to tarry is to stay beyond the proper time for leaving, and more strongly than linger implies excessive delay. Tarry is not commonly used today apart from consciously stylized, rhetorical or old-fashioned contexts; it has a romantic ring to it that makes it inappropriate in prosaic contexts.

• After making his speech, the candidate lingered in the hall to shake the hands of enthusiastic supporters; Tarry not with your loved one, but join us in righteous battle.