lay on

British  

verb

1. to provide or supply

   to lay on entertainment

2. to install

   to lay on electricity

3. informal

   1. to exaggerate, esp when flattering

   2. to charge an exorbitant price

   3. to punish or strike harshly

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lay on Idioms  

1. Cover with, apply; also, use. For example, He decided to lay on a second coat of primer , or She laid on a thick Southern accent . [c. 1600] Also see lay it on thick .

2. Inflict blows, attack, as in “Lay on, Macduff; and damn'd be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!'” (Shakespeare, Macbeth, 5:8 ). [Early 1200s]

3. Impose or cast something on someone, as in The government laid a tax on landholders , or Dad had a way of laying the guilt for his shortcomings on his partners . This usage is also found in , as in Nancy could always find someone to lay the blame on , or Jerry put the blame on Bill . [1300s]

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Example Sentences

Many lay on the bare pavements from the early morning to get a better spot.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

The volunteers waved the man’s family members away from the Ebola isolation tent at Mongbwalu General Hospital, where his body lay on a plastic sheet on the floor.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

Hama lay on the outskirts of these cultural hubs.

From Science Daily • May 5, 2026

"I became so scared and attempted to run away, but a friend dragged me and we all lay on the ground," he said.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

The sunken ship lay on the ocean floor for more than seventy-two years until, on August 19, 2017, a team headed by Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen discovered it lying some 18,000 feet beneath the sea.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

Related Words

• award
• bequeath
• contribute
• devote
• give
• give away
• grant
• hand out
• present
• provide