lay-by

[ley-bahy]

noun

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

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

Origin of lay-by

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for lay-by

Historical Examples of lay-by

Dey gave us Christmas holidays, an' 4th of July, an' lay-by time.
Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States
Various
Most growers cease tillage and lay-by the crop as soon as the vines have run enough to interfere with the cultivator.
The Vegetable Garden
Anonymous
Dere was not much time for fishin' cept at lay-by time and at de Fourth of July.
Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves, North Carolina Narratives, Part 2
Work Projects Administration

British Dictionary definitions for lay-by

lay-by

noun

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

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

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

Australian, NZ and Southern African 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

verb lay by (adverb)

(tr) to set aside or save for future needs

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012