stay up v phr Cp OED stay v2 1 'to support, sustain, hold up,' 1 c with up rare for sense 1.
1 At the seal hunt, to hoist and fix in place a marker indicating ownership of a catch of seals; FLAG v.
1924 ENGLAND 293 How many flags did ye stay up, Tom? Siventeen, eh? I branched off to west'ards, but I seen ye workin' like a flyin' scaldy, I did.
2 To sit by body during the night hours; to be present at a wake.
1972 MURRAY 295-6 Neighbours came to 'stay-up' voluntarily... It was generally the more mature people in the settlement who 'stayed-up'. . . All who stayed up were given a cup of tea and something light to eat during the night.
