lay down

verb

1. to place on the ground, etc

2. to relinquish or discard

   to lay down one's life

3. to formulate (a rule, principle, etc)

4. to build or begin to build

   the railway was laid down as far as Manchester

5. to record (plans) on paper

6. to convert (land) into pasture

7. to store or stock

   to lay down wine

8. informal,  to wager or bet

9. informal,  (tr, adverb) to record (tracks) in a studio

Idioms and Phrases

Give something up, surrender, as in They laid down their arms . [c. 1300]

Formulate, specify, as in The club laid down new membership rules . [Late 1400s]

Also, lay down one's life . Sacrifice one's life, as in He would willingly lay down his life for his children . [c. 1600]

Store for the future, as in It was a great vintage year for burgundy, and Mark laid down several cases . [Early 1800s] Also see lay aside , def. 2.

Related Words

• abandon 
• back down 
• back off 
• backtrack 
• depart 
• escape 
• evacuate 
• fall back 
• go 
• go back 
• hide 
• leave 
• pull out 
• recede 
• reel 
• retire 
• reverse 
• shrink 
• withdraw