lay of the land

American  

especially British, lie of the land

noun

1. the general state or condition of affairs under consideration; the facts of a situation.

   We asked a few questions to get the lay of the land.

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Example Sentences

UFC production chief Craig Borsari has already visited the White House five times to get the lay of the land and is in contact with the Secret Service.

From The Wall Street Journal

Like many, I’ve previously winced at hop-on, hop-off city bus tours, but around $29 for a 60-minute ride seemed worth it to get the lay of the land in this densely populated place.

From The Wall Street Journal

By gathering the lay of the land from experienced colleagues or getting clear guidelines from HR, you’ll have clarity on what works and what doesn’t.

From The Wall Street Journal

Only nine games played and 29 left to play, as Brendan Rodgers pointed out later, in a somewhat revealing comment about the way he sees the lay of the land.

From BBC

The European team could suss out the lay of the land at Bethpage Black - a daunting course which has hosted major championships - and work out the all-important partnerships.

From BBC