verb, laid, lay⋅ing, noun | 1. | to put or place in a horizontal position or position of rest; set down: to lay a book on a desk. |
| 2. | to knock or beat down, as from an erect position; strike or throw to the ground: One punch laid him low. |
| 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. | to set, place, or apply (often fol. 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. | to put (dogs) on a scent. |
| 29. | to lay eggs. |
| 30. | to wager or bet. |
| 31. | to apply oneself vigorously. |
| 32. | to deal or aim blows vigorously (usually fol. by on, at, about, etc.). |
| 33. | Nonstandard. lie 2 . |
| 34. | South Midland U.S. to plan or scheme (often fol. by out). |
| 35. | Midland and Southern U.S. (of the wind) to diminish; subside: When the wind lays, it'll rain. |
| 36. | Nautical. to take up a specified position, direction, etc.: to lay aloft; to lay close to the wind. |
| 37. | the way or position in which a thing is laid or lies: the lay of the land. |
| 38. | Slang: Vulgar.
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| 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. | Also called lay-up, spread. (in the garment industry) multiple layers of fabric upon which a pattern or guide is placed for production-line cutting. |
| 41. | batten 3 (defs. 1, 2). |
| 42. | a share of the profits or the catch of a whaling or fishing voyage, distributed to officers and crew. |
| 43. | lay aside,
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| 44. | lay away,
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| 45. | lay back, Slang. to relax. |
| 46. | lay by,
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| 47. | lay down,
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| 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,
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| 52. | lay on,
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| 53. | lay open,
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| 54. | lay out,
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| 55. | lay over,
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| 56. | lay to,
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| 57. | lay up,
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| 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,
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| 61. | lay a course,
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| 62. | lay close, Nautical. (of a sailing vessel) to sail close to the wind. |
| 63. | lay it on, to exaggerate in one's speech or actions, esp. 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. low 1 (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. | lay siege to. siege (def. 9). |

,adjective, -er, -est, adverb, -er, -est, noun | 1. | having relatively great extent from one surface or side to the opposite; not thin: a thick slice. |
| 2. | measured, as specified, between opposite surfaces, from top to bottom, or in a direction perpendicular to that of the length and breadth; (of a solid having three general dimensions) measured across its smallest dimension: a board one inch thick. |
| 3. | composed of or containing objects, particles, etc., close together; dense: a thick fog; a thick forest. |
| 4. | filled, covered, or abounding (usually fol. by with): tables thick with dust. |
| 5. | husky or hoarse; not distinctly articulated: The patient's speech is still quite thick. |
| 6. | markedly so (as specified): a thick German accent. |
| 7. | deep or profound: thick darkness. |
| 8. | (of a liquid) heavy or viscous: a thick syrup. |
| 9. | Informal. close in friendship; intimate. |
| 10. | mentally slow; stupid; dull. |
| 11. | disagreeably excessive or exaggerated: They thought it a bit thick when he called himself a genius. |
| 12. | in a thick manner. |
| 13. | close together; closely packed: The roses grew thick along the path. |
| 14. | in a manner to produce something thick: Slice the cheese thick. |
| 15. | the thickest, densest, or most crowded part: in the thick of the fight. |
| 16. | lay it on thick, Informal. to praise excessively; flatter: He's laying it on thick because he wants you to do him a favor. |
| 17. | through thick and thin, under favorable and unfavorable conditions; steadfastly: We have been friends for 20 years, through thick and thin. |

lay (sth)
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thick
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thick (thĭk)
adj. thick·er, thick·est
Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite, usually in the smallest solid dimension; not thin.
Measuring a specified number of units in this dimension.
Heavy in form, build, or stature; thickset.
Having component parts in a close, crowded state or arrangement; dense.
Having or suggesting a heavy or viscous consistency.
Having a great number; abounding.
Impenetrable by the eyes.
Not easy to hear or understand; indistinctly articulated.
Noticeably affecting sound; conspicuous.
Producing indistinctly articulated sounds.
In a close, compact state or arrangement; densely.
In a thick manner; deeply or heavily.
lay it on thick
Also, lay it on with a trowel. Exaggerate, overstate; also, flatter effusively. For example, Jane laid it on thick when she said this was the greatest book she'd ever read, or Tom thought he'd get the senator to waive the speaker's fee if he just laid it on with a trowel. This idiom alludes to applying a thick coat of paint or plaster. [c. 1600]