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• lay-by
  lay-by

  noun

  (on a road or railroad) a place beside the main road or track where vehicles may wait.
• lay by
  lay by

  see lay aside, def. 2.

lay-by

American  

[ley-bahy] / ˈleɪˌbaɪ /

noun

1. British. (on a road or railroad) a place beside the main road or track where vehicles may wait.

2. Nautical. a mooring place in a narrow river or canal, formed to one side so as to leave the channel free.

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lay-by British  

noun

1. a place for drivers to stop at the side of a main road

2. nautical an anchorage in a narrow waterway, away from the channel

3. a small railway siding where rolling stock may be stored or parked

4. a system of payment whereby a buyer pays a deposit on an article, which is reserved for him until he has paid the full price

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verb

1. (tr) to set aside or save for future needs

2. Also: lay to.  to cause (a sailing vessel) to stop in open water or (of a sailing vessel) to stop

lay by Idioms  

1. see lay aside, def. 2.

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Etymology

Origin of lay-by

First recorded in 1795–1805; noun use of verb phrase lay by

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lay-by lay by

Davies said she had asked the council to close the lay-by on the mountain from where the waste was fly-tipped.

From BBC ● Jan. 20, 2026

Welder fabricator Wesley was heading back to his workshop when he and his uncle noticed the car on fire in the lay-by.

From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2026

The discovery of Renee MacRae's BMW on fire in a lay-by south of Inverness on Friday 12 November 1976 sparked one of the UK's longest murder inquiries.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2023

Her car was found that night on fire in a lay-by on the A9 at Dalmagarry, south of Inverness.

From BBC ● Feb. 15, 2023

The man points to a line of small vans in a lay-by on the Turkish side.

From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell

The puck lay by itself tantalizingly in the crease before Spokane native Derek Ryan raced in and slammed it home to put Edmonton ahead 2-1.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 17, 2023

She would lay by the pool in a big black hat and a black maillot bathing suit with high heels, black sunglasses.

From The New Yorker ● Dec. 1, 2019

The front end of a forklift landed in Jeanette Holecek’s yard as she lay by the Chevy.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 10, 2017

Julie faithfully brought Sarah to the Good Sam day after day to lay by LaVonne’s side, even speaking to her, pleading with her to “come back, your daughter needs you.”

From Washington Times ● Jun. 7, 2015

So they came to a wide green land, and beyond it was a broad river in a silver haze, out of which rose a long wooded isle, and many ships lay by its shores.

From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien