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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 off
is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
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
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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|
Link To lay off
Collins
World English Dictionary
| lay off | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | (tr, adverb) to suspend (workers) from employment with the intention of re-employing them at a later date: the firm had to lay off 100 men |
| 2. | informal (intr) to leave (a person, thing, or activity) alone: lay off me, will you! |
| 3. | (tr, adverb) to mark off the boundaries of |
| 4. | (tr, adverb) soccer to pass or deflect (the ball) to a team-mate, esp one in a more advantageous position |
| 5. | gambling another term for hedge |
| —n | |
| 6. | the act of suspending employees |
| 7. | a period of imposed unemployment |
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
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
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."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary
lay off (so/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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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 off
-
Terminate a person from employment. For example, When they lost the contract, they had to lay off a hundred workers. This expression formerly referred to temporary dismissals, as during a recession, with the idea that workers would be hired back when conditions improved, but with the tendency of businesses to downsize in the 1990s it came to mean "terminate permanently." [First half of 1800s]
-
Mark off the boundaries, as in Let's lay off an area for a flower garden. [Mid-1700s]
-
Stop doing something, quit, as in Lay off that noise for a minute, so the baby can get to sleep, or She resolved to lay off smoking. [Early 1900s]
-
Stop bothering or annoying someone, as in Lay off or I'll tell the teacher. [Slang; c. 1900]
-
Place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker so as to reduce the risk. For example, Some bookmakers protect themselves by laying off very large bets with other bookmakers. [Mid-1900s]
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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