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

See Examples For:

lay of the land

So investors may have been waiting to evaluate the lay of the land.

From Barron's ● Mar. 12, 2026

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 ● Jan. 23, 2026

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 ● Sep. 29, 2025

"I love turning on terrestrial television in any country that I'm in. It really gives you the lay of the land."

From Salon ● Jan. 15, 2025

Now, in the long, lingering twilight of a late June Northwest evening, Joe sat on the hood of the Franklin, in front of the office, and studied the lay of the land before him.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown