Nearby Words
verb (used with object)
1.
to put or place in a horizontal position or position of rest; set down: to lay a book on a desk.
2.
3.
to put or place in a particular position: The dog laid its ears back.
4.
to cause to be in a particular state or condition: Their motives were laid bare.
5.
EXPANDto set, place, or apply (often followed by to or on): to lay hands on a child.
6.
to dispose or place in proper position or in an orderly fashion: to lay bricks.
7.
to place on, along, or under a surface: to lay a pipeline.
8.
to establish as a basis; set up: to lay the foundations for further negotiations.
9.
to present or submit for notice or consideration: I laid my case before the commission.
10.
to present, bring forward, or make, as a claim or charge.
11.
to impute, attribute, or ascribe: to lay blame on the inspector.
12.
to bury: They laid him in the old churchyard.
13.
to bring forth and deposit (an egg or eggs).
14.
to impose as a burden, duty, penalty, or the like: to lay an embargo on oil shipments.
15.
to place dinner service on (a table); set.
16.
to place on or over a surface, as paint; cover or spread with something else.
17.
to devise or arrange, as a plan.
18.
to deposit as a wager; bet: He laid $10 on the horse.
19.
to set (a trap).
20.
to place, set, or locate: The scene is laid in France.
21.
to smooth down or make even: to lay the nap of cloth.
22.
to cause to subside: laying the clouds of dust with a spray of water.
23.
Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse with.
24.
to bring (a stick, lash, etc.) down, as on a person, in inflicting punishment.
25.
to form by twisting strands together, as a rope.
26.
Nautical. to move or turn (a sailing vessel) into a certain position or direction.
27.
to aim a cannon in a specified direction at a specified elevation.
28.
COLLAPSEto put (dogs) on a scent.
verb (used without object)
29.
to lay eggs.
30.
to wager or bet.
31.
to apply oneself vigorously.
32.
to deal or aim blows vigorously (usually followed by on, at, about, etc.).
33.
EXPANDNonstandard. lie2.
34.
South Midland U.S. to plan or scheme (often followed by out).
35.
Midland and Southern U.S. (of the wind) to diminish; subside: When the wind lays, it'll rain.
36.
COLLAPSENautical. to take up a specified position, direction, etc.: to lay aloft; to lay close to the wind.
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Lay
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is bowdlerise. Does it mean:
| to run away hurriedly; flee. |
| to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable. |
noun
Verb phrases37.
the way or position in which a thing is laid or lies: the lay of the land.
38.
Slang: Vulgar.
a.
a partner in sexual intercourse.
b.
an instance of sexual intercourse.
39.
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.
40.
41.
EXPANDbatten3 (defs. 1, 2).
42.
COLLAPSEa share of the profits or the catch of a whaling or fishing voyage, distributed to officers and crew.
43.
lay aside,
a.
to abandon; reject.
b.
to save for use at a later time; store: to lay aside some money every month.
44.
lay away,
a.
to reserve for later use; save.
b.
to hold merchandise pending final payment or request for delivery: to lay away a winter coat.
c.
to bury: They laid him away in the tomb.
45.
lay back, Slang. to relax.
46.
lay by,
a.
to put away for future use; store; save: She had managed to lay by money for college from her earnings as a babysitter.
b.
Nautical. (of a sailing vessel) to come to a standstill; heave to; lay to.
c.
Midland and Southern U.S. to tend (a crop) for the last time, leaving it to mature without further cultivation.
47.
EXPANDlay down,
a.
to give up; yield: to lay down one's arms.
b.
to assert firmly; state authoritatively: to lay down rigid rules of conduct.
c.
to stock; store: to lay down wine.
d.
Shipbuilding. to draw at full size (the lines of a hull), as on the floor of a mold loft; lay off; loft.
48.
lay for, Informal. to wait for in order to attack or surprise; lie in wait for: The police are laying for him.
49.
lay in, to store away for future use: We laid in a supply of canned goods.
50.
lay into, Informal. to attack physically or verbally; assail: He laid into the opposition with fiery words.
51.
lay off,
a.
to dismiss (an employee), especially temporarily because of slack business.
b.
Informal. to cease or quit: He promised to lay off drinking.
c.
Slang. to stop annoying or teasing: Lay off me, will you?
d.
Informal. to stop work: They laid off at four and went home.
e.
to put aside or take off.
f.
to mark off; measure; plot.
g.
Slang. to give or hand over; pass on: They laid off their old sofa on the neighborhood recreation center.
h.
(of a bookmaker) to transfer all or part of (a wager) to other bookmakers in order to be protected against heavy losses.
i.
to get rid of or transfer (blame, responsibility, etc.): He tried to lay off the guilt for the crime on his son.
j.
Nautical. to sail away from.
k.
Nautical. to remain stationary at a distance from.
l.
Shipbuilding. lay1 (def. 47d).
52.
lay on,
a.
to cover with; apply: to lay on a coat of wax.
b.
to strike blows; attack violently: When the mob became unruly, the police began to lay on.
c.
Nautical. to sail toward.
d.
Nautical. to row (an oar) with a full stroke.
e.
Slang. to tell, impart, or give to: Let me lay a little good advice on you.
f.
Chiefly British Informal. to provide as a gift, bonus, or treat; give; treat: The owners laid on a Christmas dinner for the employees.
53.
lay open,
a.
to cut open: to lay open an area of tissue with a scalpel.
b.
to expose; reveal: Her autobiography lays open shocking facts about her childhood.
c.
to expose or make vulnerable, as to blame, suspicion, or criticism: He was careful not to lay himself open to charges of partiality.
54.
lay out,
a.
to extend at length.
b.
to spread out in order; arrange; prepare.
c.
to plan; plot; design.
d.
to ready (a corpse) for burial.
e.
Informal. to spend or contribute (money).
f.
Slang. to knock (someone) down or unconscious.
g.
Slang. to scold vehemently; reprimand: Whenever I come home late from school, my mom really lays me out.
h.
to make a layout of.
i.
Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. to absent oneself from school or work without permission or justification; play hooky.
55.
lay over,
a.
to be postponed until action may be taken: The vote will have to be laid over until next week.
b.
to make a stop, as during a trip: We will have to lay over in Lyons on our way to the Riviera.
56.
lay to,
a.
Nautical. to check the motion of (a ship).
b.
Nautical. to put (a ship) in a dock or other place of safety.
c.
to attack vigorously.
d.
to put forth effort; apply oneself.
57.
COLLAPSElay up,
a.
to put away for future use; store up.
b.
to cause to be confined to bed or kept indoors; disable.
c.
Nautical. to retire (a ship) from active use.
d.
Nautical. (of a ship) to be retired from active use.
e.
to construct (a masonry structure): The masons laid the outer walls up in Flemish bond.
f.
to apply (alternate layers of a material and a binder) to form a bonded material.
58.
get laid, Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse.
59.
lay aboard, Nautical. (formerly, of a fighting ship) to come alongside (another fighting ship) in order to board.
60.
lay about one,
a.
to strike or aim blows in every direction.
b.
to proceed to do; set about.
61.
lay a course,
a.
Nautical. to sail in the desired direction without tacking.
b.
to proceed according to a plan.
62.
EXPANDlay close, Nautical. (of a sailing vessel) to sail close to the wind.
63.
lay it on, to exaggerate in one's speech or actions, especially to engage in exaggerated flattery or reproof: She was glad to be told what a splendid person she was, but they didn't have to lay it on so much. Also, lay it on thick.
64.
lay low. low1 (defs. 50, 51).
65.
lay oneself out, Informal. to try one's best; make a great effort: They laid themselves out to see that the reception would be a success.
66.
COLLAPSElay siege to. siege (def. 9).
Origin:
before 900; Middle English layen, leggen, Old English lecgan (causative of licgan to lie2); cognate with Dutch leggen, German legen, Old Norse legja, Gothic lagjan
before 900; Middle English layen, leggen, Old English lecgan (causative of licgan to lie2); cognate with Dutch leggen, German legen, Old Norse legja, Gothic lagjan
Can be confused: 1. lay, lie2 (see usage note at the current entry); 2. downsize, fire, lay off, rightsize, terminate; 3. lay off, layoff.
Usage note
Lay1 and lie2 are often confused. Lay is most commonly a transitive verb and takes an object. Its forms are regular. EXPANDIf “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. 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.
COLLAPSE
Lay1 and lie2 are often confused. Lay is most commonly a transitive verb and takes an object. Its forms are regular. EXPANDIf “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. 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.
COLLAPSE
Dictionary.com Unabridged
verb
simple past tense of lie2.
adjective
1.
belonging to, pertaining to, or performed by the people or laity, as distinguished from the clergy: a lay sermon.
2.
not belonging to, connected with, or proceeding from a profession, especially the law or medicine.
noun
1.
a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood.
2.
something intended or serving to convey a false impression; imposture: His flashy car was a lie that deceived no one.
3.
an inaccurate or false statement.
4.
the charge or accusation of lying: He flung the lie back at his accusers.
verb (used without object)
5.
to speak falsely or utter untruth knowingly, as with intent to deceive.
6.
to express what is false; convey a false impression.
verb (used with object)
Idioms7.
to bring about or affect by lying (often used reflexively): to lie oneself out of a difficulty; accustomed to lying his way out of difficulties.
8.
give the lie to,
a.
to accuse of lying; contradict.
b.
to prove or imply the falsity of; belie: His poor work gives the lie to his claims of experience.
9.
lie in one's throat/teeth, to lie grossly or maliciously: If she told you exactly the opposite of what she told me, she must be lying in her teeth. Also, lie through one's teeth.
Origin:
before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English lyge; cognate with German Lüge, Old Norse lygi; akin to Gothic liugn; (v.) Middle English lien, Old English lēogan (intransitive); cognate with German lügen, Old Norse ljūga, Gothic liugan
before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English lyge; cognate with German Lüge, Old Norse lygi; akin to Gothic liugn; (v.) Middle English lien, Old English lēogan (intransitive); cognate with German lügen, Old Norse ljūga, Gothic liugan
Antonyms
1. truth.
1. truth.
verb (used without object)
1.
to be in a horizontal, recumbent, or prostrate position, as on a bed or the ground; recline.
2.
(of objects) to rest in a horizontal or flat position: The book lies on the table.
3.
to be or remain in a position or state of inactivity, subjection, restraint, concealment, etc.: to lie in ambush.
4.
to rest, press, or weigh (usually followed by on or upon): These things lie upon my mind.
5.
EXPANDto depend (usually followed by on or upon).
6.
to be placed or situated: land lying along the coast.
7.
to be stretched out or extended: the broad plain that lies before us.
8.
to be in or have a specified direction; extend: The trail from here lies to the west.
9.
to be found or located in a particular area or place: The fault lies here.
10.
to consist or be grounded (usually followed by in): The real remedy lies in education.
11.
to be buried in a particular spot: Their ancestors lie in the family plot.
12.
Law. to be sustainable or admissible, as an action or appeal.
13.
COLLAPSEArchaic. to lodge; stay the night; sojourn.
noun
Verb phrases14.
the manner, relative position, or direction in which something lies.
15.
the haunt or covert of an animal.
16.
Golf. the position of the ball relative to how easy or how difficult it is to play.
17.
lie by,
a.
to pause for rest; stop activities, work, etc., temporarily.
b.
to lie unused: Ever since the last member of the family died, the old house has lain by.
18.
lie down, to assume a horizontal or prostrate position, as for the purpose of resting.
19.
lie in, to be confined to bed in childbirth.
20.
lie over, to be postponed for attention or action at some future time: The other business on the agenda will have to lie over until the next meeting.
21.
EXPANDlie up,
a.
to lie at rest; stay in bed.
b.
(of a ship) to dock or remain in dock.
22.
COLLAPSElie with,
a.
to be the duty or function of: The decision in this matter lies with him.
b.
Archaic. to have sexual intercourse with.
23.
lie down on the job, Informal. to do less than one could or should do; shirk one's obligations.
24.
lie in state. state (def. 24).
25.
lie low. low1 (def. 51).
26.
lie to, Nautical. (of a ship) to lie comparatively stationary, usually with the head as near the wind as possible.
27.
take lying down, to hear or yield without protest, contradiction, or resistance: I refuse to take such an insult lying down.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English lien, liggen, Old English licgan; cognate with German liegen, Dutch liggen, Old Norse liggja, Gothic ligan; akin to Greek léchesthai to lie down
before 900; Middle English lien, liggen, Old English licgan; cognate with German liegen, Dutch liggen, Old Norse liggja, Gothic ligan; akin to Greek léchesthai to lie down
Synonyms
14. place, location, site.
14. place, location, site.
Antonyms
1, 2. stand.
1, 2. stand.
Usage note
See lay1.
See lay1.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
|
Link To lay
Collins
World English Dictionary
| lay1 (leɪ) | |
| —vb , lays, laying, laid | |
| 1. | to put in a low or horizontal position; cause to lie: to lay a cover on a bed |
| 2. | to place, put, or be in a particular state or position: he laid his finger on his lips |
| 3. | not standard (intr) to be in a horizontal position; lie: he often lays in bed all the morning |
| 4. | ( |
| 5. | to place or dispose in the proper position: to lay a carpet |
| 6. | to arrange (a table) for eating a meal |
| 7. | to prepare (a fire) for lighting by arranging fuel in the grate |
| 8. | (also intr) (of birds, esp the domestic hen) to produce (eggs) |
| 9. | to present or put forward: he laid his case before the magistrate |
| 10. | to impute or attribute: all the blame was laid on him |
| 11. | to arrange, devise, or prepare: to lay a trap |
| 12. | to place, set, or locate: the scene is laid in London |
| 13. | to apply on or as if on a surface: to lay a coat of paint |
| 14. | to impose as a penalty or burden: to lay a fine |
| 15. | to make (a bet) with (someone): I lay you five to one on Prince |
| 16. | to cause to settle: to lay the dust |
| 17. | to allay; suppress: to lay a rumour |
| 18. | to bring down forcefully: to lay a whip on someone's back |
| 19. | slang to have sexual intercourse with |
| 20. | slang to bet on (a horse) to lose a race |
| 21. | to press down or make smooth: to lay the nap of cloth |
| 22. | to cut (small trunks or branches of shrubs or trees) halfway through and bend them diagonally to form a hedge: to lay a hedge |
| 23. | to arrange and twist together (strands) in order to form (a rope, cable, etc) |
| 24. | military to apply settings of elevation and training to (a weapon) prior to firing |
| 25. | ( |
| 26. | another word for inlay |
| 27. | dialect, informal or (intr; |
| 28. | (intr) nautical to move or go, esp into a specified position or direction: to lay close to the wind |
| 29. | nautical lay aboard (formerly) to move alongside a warship to board it |
| 30. | lay a course |
| a. nautical to sail on a planned course without tacking | |
| b. to plan an action | |
| 31. | lay bare to reveal or explain: he laid bare his plans |
| 32. | lay hands on See hands |
| 33. | lay hold of to seize or grasp |
| 34. | lay oneself open to make oneself vulnerable (to criticism, attack, etc): by making such a statement he laid himself open to accusations of favouritism |
| 35. | lay open to reveal or disclose |
| 36. | lay siege to to besiege (a city, etc) |
| —n | |
| 37. | the manner or position in which something lies or is placed |
| 38. | taboo, slang |
| a. an act of sexual intercourse | |
| b. a sexual partner | |
| 39. | a portion of the catch or the profits from a whaling or fishing expedition |
| 40. | the amount or direction of hoist in the strands of a rope |
| usage In careful English, the verb lay is used with an object and lie without one: the soldier laid down his arms; the Queen laid a wreath; the book was lying on the table; he was lying on the floor. In informal English, lay is frequently used for lie: the book was laying on the table. All careful writers and speakers observe the distinction even in informal contexts | |
| lay2 (leɪ) | |
| —vb | |
| the past tense of lie | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
lay
O.E. lecgan "to place on the ground (or other surface)," also "put down (often by striking)," from P.Gmc. *lagjanan (cf. O.S. leggian, O.N. leggja, O.Fris. ledza, M.Du. legghan, Du. leggen, O.H.G. lecken, Ger. legen, Goth. lagjan "to lay, put, place"), causative of lie (v.2).
EXPANDMeaning "way in which something is laid" (lay of the land) first recorded 1819. Meaning "have sex with" first recorded 1934, in U.S. slang, from sense of "deposit" (which was in O.E., as in lay an egg, lay a bet, etc.), perhaps reinforced by to lie with, a frequent phrase in the Bible. The noun meaning "woman available for sexual intercourse" is attested from 1930, but there are suggestions of it in stage puns from as far back as 1767. Lay off "dismiss" (an employee) is from 1868; meaning "stop disturbing" is from 1908. To lay for (someone) "await a chance at revenge" is from 1494; lay low "stay inconspicuous" is from 1839. To lay (someone) low preserves the secondary O.E. sense.
lay
early 14c., from O.Fr. lai "secular, not of the clergy" (Fr. laïque), from L.L. laicus, from Gk. laikos "of the people," from laos "people," of unknown origin. In M.E., contrasted with learned, a sense revived 1810 for "non-expert."
lay
"short song," c.1240, from O.Fr. lai "song, lyric," of unknown origin, perhaps from Celt. (cf. Ir. laid "song, poem," Gael. laoidh "poem, verse, play") since the earliest verses so called were Arthurian ballads, but another theory traces it to a Gmc. source, cf. O.H.G. leich "play, melody, song."
lie
"an untruth," O.E. lyge, from P.Gmc. *lugin (cf. O.N. lygi, Dan. løgn, O.Fris. leyne, Ger. Lüge, Goth. liugn). To give the lie to "accuse directly of lying" is attested from 1593. Lie-detector first recorded 1909.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
lie (lī)
n.
The manner or position in which something is situated, especially the relation that the long axis of a fetus bears to that of its mother.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Slang Dictionary
lay definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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lay (so) definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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lay (sth) definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
lay
In addition to the idioms beginning with lay, also see let it lay. Also see under laid up; lie; put.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia
lay
in medieval French literature, a short romance, usually written in octosyllabic verse, that dealt with subjects thought to be of Celtic origin. The earliest lay narratives were written in the 12th century by Marie De France; her works were largely based on earlier Breton versions thought to have been derived from Celtic legend. The Breton lay, a 14th-century English poetic form based on these lays, is exemplified by "The Franklin's Tale" in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales
Learn more about lay with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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Word Dynamo By Dictionary.com
Slang
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