lay on
Britishverb
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to provide or supply
to lay on entertainment
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to install
to lay on electricity
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informal
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to exaggerate, esp when flattering
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to charge an exorbitant price
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to punish or strike harshly
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Cover with, apply; also, use. For example, He decided to lay on a second coat of primer , or She laid on a thick Southern accent . [c. 1600] Also see lay it on thick .
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Inflict blows, attack, as in “Lay on, Macduff; and damn'd be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!'” (Shakespeare, Macbeth, 5:8 ). [Early 1200s]
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Impose or cast something on someone, as in The government laid a tax on landholders , or Dad had a way of laying the guilt for his shortcomings on his partners . This usage is also found in , as in Nancy could always find someone to lay the blame on , or Jerry put the blame on Bill . [1300s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Gray-black feathers lay on the sidewalk and a nearby lawn.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
The 26th seed lay on the floor for several minutes and was attended to by a number of medical staff, who placed ice packs on his head, neck and chest to help.
From BBC ● May 27, 2026
Hama lay on the outskirts of these cultural hubs.
From Science Daily ● May 5, 2026
He lay on the court in pain for a few minutes before being helped to the locker room.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 14, 2026
A black expanse lay on one side of the road, fringed by distant specks of light—the lake, again.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
