lay out

British  

verb

1. to arrange or spread out

2. to prepare (a corpse) for burial or cremation

3. to plan or contrive

4. informal to spend (money), esp lavishly

5. informal to knock unconscious

6. informal to exert (oneself) or put (oneself) to an effort

   he laid himself out to please us

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noun

1. the arrangement or plan of something, such as a building

2. the arrangement of written material, photographs, or other artwork on an advertisement or page in a book, newspaper, etc

3. a preliminary plan indicating this

4. a drawing showing the relative disposition of parts in a machine, etc

5. the act of laying out

6. something laid out

7. the formation of cards on the table in various games, esp in patience

8. informal a residence or establishment, esp a large one

lay out Idioms  

1. Make a detailed plan, design, or explanation, as in They laid out the exact dimensions in order to construct the new display , or Robert laid out next year's plans for his staff . [Mid-1700s]

2. Prepare a dead body for burial, as in He died that morning and was laid out for the wake by afternoon . [Late 1500s]

3. Rebuke harshly, as in She laid me out for breaking the vase . [ Slang ; late 1800s]

4. Knock unconscious or to the ground, render helpless, as in He laid him out with one good punch . [Late 1800s]

5. Expend, spend, as in She laid out a fortune on jewelry . [Mid-1400s]

6. Display or arrange, especially in a particular order, as in He asked her to lay out the merchandise in an attractive way . [Mid-1400s]

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Example Sentences

The UK government has so far refused to say whether the move was illegal, insisting it is for the Americans to lay out the legal basis for the action.

From BBC

On the flip side, officials more concerned about the labor market might lay out their case.

From MarketWatch

"I have three daughters, the youngest is 14," he told AFP, laying out an impossible choice: "Getting out is expensive and the road is unsafe" but "we're struggling to get enough food and medicine".

From Barron's

Modi expects 2026 to be another tough year, but believes that companies that lay out the most realistic targets will be the best performing stocks.

From Barron's

He said many executives have been afraid to lay out the damage that AI could do to the job market.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• arrange
• chart
• outline