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Showing results for lay out. Search instead for lay+out.
Synonyms

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
"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

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

"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
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]

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.

Can you lay out your case for this being more than insider trading?

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

Before Harvard reclaims my Ph.D., let me lay out the merits of annuities.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026

The White House has said the address will lay out Trump’s affordability agenda, including a suite of policies to lower housing costs.

From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026

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 • Jan. 5, 2026

Peeta packs up our gear while I lay out a big meal.

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

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.