lay
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to put or place in a horizontal position or position of rest; set down.
to lay a book on a desk.
- Synonyms:
- deposit
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to knock or beat down, as from an erect position; strike or throw to the ground.
One punch laid him low.
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to put or place in a particular position.
The dog laid its ears back.
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to cause to be in a particular state or condition.
Their motives were laid bare.
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to set, place, or apply (often followed by to oron ).
to lay hands on a child.
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to dispose or place in proper position or in an orderly fashion.
to lay bricks.
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to place on, along, or under a surface.
to lay a pipeline.
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to establish as a basis; set up.
to lay the foundations for further negotiations.
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to present or submit for notice or consideration.
I laid my case before the commission.
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to present, bring forward, or make, as a claim or charge.
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to impute, attribute, or ascribe.
to lay blame on the inspector.
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to bury.
They laid him in the old churchyard.
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to bring forth and deposit (an egg or eggs).
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to impose as a burden, duty, penalty, or the like.
to lay an embargo on oil shipments.
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to place dinner service on (a table); set.
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to place on or over a surface, as paint; cover or spread with something else.
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to devise or arrange, as a plan.
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to deposit as a wager; bet.
He laid $10 on the horse that won the third race.
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to set (a trap).
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to place, set, or locate.
The scene is laid in France.
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to smooth down or make even.
to lay the nap of cloth.
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to cause to subside.
laying the clouds of dust with a spray of water.
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Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse with.
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to bring (a stick, lash, etc.) down, as on a person, in inflicting punishment.
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to form by twisting strands together, as a rope.
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Nautical. to move or turn (a sailing vessel) into a certain position or direction.
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to aim a cannon in a specified direction at a specified elevation.
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to put (dogs) on a scent.
verb (used without object)
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to lay eggs.
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to wager or bet.
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to apply oneself vigorously.
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to deal or aim blows vigorously (usually followed by on, at, about, etc.).
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Nonstandard. lie.
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South Midland U.S. to plan or scheme (often followed byout ).
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Midland and Southern U.S. (of the wind) to diminish; subside.
When the wind lays, it'll rain.
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Nautical. to take up a specified position, direction, etc..
to lay aloft; to lay close to the wind.
noun
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the way or position in which a thing is laid or lies.
the lay of the land.
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Slang: Vulgar.
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a partner in sexual intercourse.
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an instance of sexual intercourse.
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Ropemaking. the quality of a fiber rope characterized by the degree of twist, the angles formed by the strands, and the fibers in the strands.
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Also called spread. Also called lay-up,. (in the garment industry) multiple layers of fabric upon which a pattern or guide is placed for production-line cutting.
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Textiles. batten.
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a share of the profits or the catch of a whaling or fishing voyage, distributed to officers and crew.
verb phrase
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lay out
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to extend at length.
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to ready (a corpse) for burial.
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Informal. to spend or contribute (money).
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Slang. to knock (someone) down or unconscious.
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Slang. to scold vehemently; reprimand.
Whenever I come home late from school, my mom really lays me out.
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to make a layout of.
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Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. to absent oneself from school or work without permission or justification; play hooky.
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lay on
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to cover with; apply.
to lay on a coat of wax.
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to strike blows; attack violently.
When the mob became unruly, the police began to lay on.
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Nautical. to sail toward.
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Nautical. to row (an oar) with a full stroke.
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Slang. to tell, impart, or give to.
Let me lay a little good advice on you.
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Chiefly British Informal. to provide as a gift, bonus, or treat; give; treat.
The owners laid on a Christmas dinner for the employees.
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lay back to relax.
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lay open
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to cut open.
to lay open an area of tissue with a scalpel.
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to expose; reveal.
Her autobiography lays open shocking facts about her childhood.
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to expose or make vulnerable, as to blame, suspicion, or criticism.
He was careful not to lay himself open to charges of partiality.
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lay over
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to be postponed until action may be taken.
The vote will have to be laid over until next week.
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to make a stop, as during a trip.
We will have to lay over in Lyons on our way to the Riviera.
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lay for to wait for in order to attack or surprise; lie in wait for.
The police are laying for him.
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lay aside
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to abandon or put to one side.
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to save for use at a later time; store.
to lay aside some money every month.
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lay off
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to dismiss (an employee), especially temporarily because of slack business.
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Informal. to cease or quit.
He promised to lay off drinking.
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Slang. to stop annoying or teasing.
Lay off me, will you?
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Informal. to stop work.
They laid off at four and went home.
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to put aside or take off.
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Slang. to give or hand over; pass on.
They laid off their old sofa on the neighborhood recreation center.
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(of a bookmaker) to transfer all or part of (a wager) to other bookmakers in order to be protected against heavy losses.
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to get rid of or transfer (blame, responsibility, etc.).
He tried to lay off the guilt for the crime on his son.
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Nautical. to sail away from.
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Nautical. to remain stationary at a distance from.
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Shipbuilding. lay.
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lay in to store away for future use.
We laid in a supply of canned goods.
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lay up
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to put away for future use; store up.
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to cause to be confined to bed or kept indoors; disable.
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Nautical. to retire (a ship) from active use.
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Nautical. (of a ship) to be retired from active use.
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to construct (a masonry structure).
The masons laid the outer walls up in Flemish bond.
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to apply (alternate layers of a material and a binder) to form a bonded material.
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lay by
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to put away for future use; store; save.
She had managed to lay by money for college from her earnings as a babysitter.
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Nautical. (of a sailing vessel) to come to a standstill; heave to; lay to.
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Midland and Southern U.S. to tend (a crop) for the last time, leaving it to mature without further cultivation.
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lay to
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Nautical. to check the motion of (a ship).
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Nautical. to put (a ship) in a dock or other place of safety.
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to attack vigorously.
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to put forth effort; apply oneself.
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lay down
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to give up; yield.
to lay down one's arms.
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to assert firmly; state authoritatively.
to lay down rigid rules of conduct.
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to stock; store.
to lay down wine.
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to produce or execute (something) successfully; throw down.
In the top of the thirteenth inning, Jones laid down a perfect bunt.
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Shipbuilding. to draw at full size (the lines of a hull), as on the floor of a mold loft; lay off; loft.
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lay into to attack physically or verbally; assail.
He laid into the opposition with fiery words.
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lay away
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to reserve for later use; save.
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to hold merchandise pending final payment or request for delivery.
to lay away a winter coat.
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to bury.
They laid him away in the tomb.
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idioms
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lay low. low.
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get laid, to have sexual intercourse.
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lay close, (of a sailing vessel) to sail close to the wind.
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lay siege to. siege.
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lay about one,
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to strike or aim blows in every direction.
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to proceed to do; set about.
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lay aboard, (formerly, of a fighting ship) to come alongside (another fighting ship) in order to board.
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lay it on, to exaggerate in one's speech or actions, especially to engage in exaggerated flattery or reproof: Also lay it on thick.
She was glad to be told what a splendid person she was, but they didn't have to lay it on so much.
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lay oneself out, to try one's best; make a great effort.
They laid themselves out to see that the reception would be a success.
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lay a course,
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Nautical. to sail in the desired direction without tacking.
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to proceed according to a plan.
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verb
adjective
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belonging to, pertaining to, or performed by the people or laity, as distinguished from the clergy.
a lay sermon.
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not belonging to, connected with, or proceeding from a profession, especially the law or medicine.
noun
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a short narrative or other poem, especially one to be sung.
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a song.
noun
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(on a loom) a movable frame that contains the shuttles, the race plate, and the reed, and that by its oscillating motion beats the filling yarn into place.
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any movable part of a loom.
verb
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to put in a low or horizontal position; cause to lie
to lay a cover on a bed
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to place, put, or be in a particular state or position
he laid his finger on his lips
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not_standard (intr) to be in a horizontal position; lie
he often lays in bed all the morning
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(sometimes foll by down) to establish as a basis
to lay a foundation for discussion
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to place or dispose in the proper position
to lay a carpet
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to arrange (a table) for eating a meal
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to prepare (a fire) for lighting by arranging fuel in the grate
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(also intr) (of birds, esp the domestic hen) to produce (eggs)
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to present or put forward
he laid his case before the magistrate
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to impute or attribute
all the blame was laid on him
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to arrange, devise, or prepare
to lay a trap
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to place, set, or locate
the scene is laid in London
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to apply on or as if on a surface
to lay a coat of paint
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to impose as a penalty or burden
to lay a fine
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to make (a bet) with (someone)
I lay you five to one on Prince
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to cause to settle
to lay the dust
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to allay; suppress
to lay a rumour
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to bring down forcefully
to lay a whip on someone's back
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slang to have sexual intercourse with
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slang to bet on (a horse) to lose a race
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to press down or make smooth
to lay the nap of cloth
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to cut (small trunks or branches of shrubs or trees) halfway through and bend them diagonally to form a hedge
to lay a hedge
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to arrange and twist together (strands) in order to form (a rope, cable, etc)
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military to apply settings of elevation and training to (a weapon) prior to firing
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(foll by on) hunting to put (hounds or other dogs) onto a scent
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another word for inlay
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dialect (intr; often foll by to or out) to plan, scheme, or devise
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(intr) nautical to move or go, esp into a specified position or direction
to lay close to the wind
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nautical (formerly) to move alongside a warship to board it
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nautical to sail on a planned course without tacking
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to plan an action
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to reveal or explain
he laid bare his plans
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See hands
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to seize or grasp
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to make oneself vulnerable (to criticism, attack, etc)
by making such a statement he laid himself open to accusations of favouritism
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to reveal or disclose
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to besiege (a city, etc)
noun
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the manner or position in which something lies or is placed
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taboo
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an act of sexual intercourse
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a sexual partner
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a portion of the catch or the profits from a whaling or fishing expedition
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the amount or direction of hoist in the strands of a rope
adjective
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of, involving, or belonging to people who are not clergy
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nonprofessional or nonspecialist; amateur
noun
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a ballad or short narrative poem, esp one intended to be sung
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a song or melody
verb
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012Usage
What's the difference between lay and lie? Lay commonly means to put or place someone or something down, as in Lay the bags on the table or I’m going to lay the baby in the crib. The sense of lie that’s often confused with lay means to be in or get into a reclining position—to recline, as in I just want to lie in bed for a few more minutes.Though it’s considered nonstandard, lay is commonly used to mean the same thing as this sense of lie, as in I just want to lay in bed for a few more minutes.The confusion between the two words is largely due to the fact that lay is also the past tense form of this sense of lie, as in I lay in bed yesterday morning wishing I could go back to sleep. The other tenses of this sense of lie are lain, as in I have lain in bed for the past three hours, and lying, as in I am lying in bed right now. (In contrast, when lie is used as a verb meaning to tell an untruth, its past tense is simply lied.)The other tenses of lay are laid, as in I laid the bags on the table, and laying, as in Start laying the fruit here and the vegetables there.Lay is typically used with an object, meaning someone or something is getting laid down by someone. In contrast, lie is something you do yourself without any other recipients of the action.This sense of lie is commonly used in the verb phrase lie down, as in I was feeling tired so I decided to lie down. Using the phrase lay down to mean the same thing is considered nonstandard, but it’s also very common.Lay down is also used as a verb phrase meaning about the same thing as lay, as in You can lay down your bags on the table (or You can lay your bags down on the table).Although lay and lie are often used interchangeably in casual communication, it’s best to use them in the standard way in more formal contexts.A good way to remember which one to use is to think about whether you could replace the word with put or recline. If you can replace it with put, you probably want to use lay, as in Please lay (put) the bags on the table. If you could replace the word with recline, you probably want to use lie, as in I just want to lie (recline) in bed for a few more minutes.Here’s an example of lay and lie used correctly in the same sentence.Example: He said he was just going to lay the blanket on the grass and lie on it for a few minutes, but he lied. After he laid the blanket down, he lay on it for two hours!Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between lay and lie.
Commonly Confused
Lay1 and lie2 are often confused. Lay is most commonly a transitive verb and takes an object. Its forms are regular. If “place” or “put” can be substituted in a sentence, a form of lay is called for: Lay the folders on the desk. The mason is laying brick. She laid the baby in the crib. Lay also has many intransitive senses, among them “to lay eggs” ( The hens have stopped laying ), and it forms many phrasal verbs, such as lay off “to dismiss (from employment)” or “to stop annoying or teasing” and lay over “to make a stop.” Lie, with the overall senses “to be in a horizontal position, recline” and “to rest, remain, be situated, etc.,” is intransitive and takes no object. Its forms are irregular; its past tense form is identical with the present tense or infinitive form of lay : Lie down, children. Abandoned cars were lying along the road. The dog lay in the shade and watched the kittens play. The folders have lain on the desk since yesterday. In all but the most careful, formal speech, forms of lay are commonly heard in senses normally associated with lie. In edited written English such uses of lay are rare and are usually considered nonstandard: Lay down, children. The dog laid in the shade. Abandoned cars were laying along the road. The folders have laid on the desk since yesterday.
Related Words
See put.
Etymology
Origin of lay1
First recorded before 900; Middle English layen, leggen, Old English lecgan (causative of licgan “to lie”; cognate with Dutch leggen, German legen, Old Norse legja, Gothic lagjan. lie 2
Origin of lay3
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English lai “uneducated; not belonging to the clergy; secular,” from Middle French lai, from Medieval Latin lāicus “pertaining to the people or laity”; laic
Origin of lay4
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English lai, lei “a short narrative poem to be sung with musical accompaniment, especially a harp,” from Old French; further origin uncertain; perhaps from Celtic; compare Old Irish láed, laíd “metrical composition, poem, lay”; perhaps from Germanic; compare Middle High German leich “melody, song,” Old Norse lag (in the sense “air, tune”)
Origin of lay5
First recorded in 1780–90; variant of lathe
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.
Alphabet has “laid the groundwork for an immense amount of value creation from an AI standpoint,” Musk said.
From MarketWatch
This mirrors a visit to Hamburg during the UK state visit to Germany in 2023, when King Charles laid a wreath remembering the civilian casualties of wartime Allied bombing raids.
From BBC
On Sunday, thousands of people had gathered outside the charred buildings in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district to lay flowers and leave mementos and messages such as “rest in peace” and “Hong Kong be strong.”
The top executive at bitcoin’s biggest corporate owner has laid out the parameters that would force his company to sell some of its $56 billion worth of the cryptocurrency.
From MarketWatch
Monitored by a police drone, an exhausted Buddy finally laid down to rest as a vet administered some sedatives in the early hours of Sunday.
From BBC
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.
