lay

1. to put or place in a horizontal position or position of rest; set down:

   to lay a book on a desk.

   Synonyms: deposit

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 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 that won the third race.

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.

    Synonyms: still, calm, quiet

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.

1. to lay eggs.
2. to wager or bet.
3. to apply oneself vigorously.
4. to deal or aim blows vigorously (usually followed by on, at, about, etc.).
5. Nonstandard. lie ².
6. South Midland U.S. to plan or scheme (often followed by out ).
7. Midland and Southern U.S. (of the wind) to diminish; subside:

   When the wind lays, it'll rain.

8. Nautical. to take up a specified position, direction, etc.:

   to lay aloft; to lay close to the wind.

1. the way or position in which a thing is laid or lies:

   the lay of the land.

2. Slang: Vulgar.
   1. a partner in sexual intercourse.
   2. an instance of sexual intercourse.
3. 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.
4. Also called lay-up,. (in the garment industry) multiple layers of fabric upon which a pattern or guide is placed for production-line cutting.
5. Textiles. batten ³( defs 1, 2 ).
6. a share of the profits or the catch of a whaling or fishing voyage, distributed to officers and crew.

verb phrase

1. 1. to dismiss (an employee), especially temporarily because of slack business.
   2. Informal. to cease or quit:

      He promised to lay off drinking.

   3. Slang. to stop annoying or teasing:

      Lay off me, will you?

   4. Informal. to stop work:

      They laid off at four and went home.

   5. to put aside or take off.
   6. to mark off; measure; plot.
   7. Slang. to give or hand over; pass on:

      They laid off their old sofa on the neighborhood recreation center.

   8. (of a bookmaker) to transfer all or part of (a wager) to other bookmakers in order to be protected against heavy losses.
   9. to get rid of or transfer (blame, responsibility, etc.):

      He tried to lay off the guilt for the crime on his son.

   10. Nautical. to sail away from.
   11. Nautical. to remain stationary at a distance from.
   12. Shipbuilding. lay ¹( def 47e ).
2. 1. to cover with; apply:

      to lay on a coat of wax.

   2. to strike blows; attack violently:

      When the mob became unruly, the police began to lay on.

   3. Nautical. to sail toward.
   4. Nautical. to row (an oar) with a full stroke.
   5. Slang. to tell, impart, or give to:

      Let me lay a little good advice on you.

   6. Chiefly British Informal. to provide as a gift, bonus, or treat; give; treat:

      The owners laid on a Christmas dinner for the employees.

3. 1. to be postponed until action may be taken:

      The vote will have to be laid over until next week.

   2. to make a stop, as during a trip:

      We will have to lay over in Lyons on our way to the Riviera.

4. 1. to put away for future use; store; save:

      She had managed to lay by money for college from her earnings as a babysitter.

   2. Nautical. (of a sailing vessel) to come to a standstill; heave to; lay to.
   3. Midland and Southern U.S. to tend (a crop) for the last time, leaving it to mature without further cultivation.
5. 1. to put away for future use; store up.
   2. to cause to be confined to bed or kept indoors; disable.
   3. Nautical. to retire (a ship) from active use.
   4. Nautical. (of a ship) to be retired from active use.
   5. to construct (a masonry structure):

      The masons laid the outer walls up in Flemish bond.

   6. to apply (alternate layers of a material and a binder) to form a bonded material.
6. Slang. to relax.
7. 1. to reserve for later use; save.
   2. to hold merchandise pending final payment or request for delivery:

      to lay away a winter coat.

   3. to bury:

      They laid him away in the tomb.

8. 1. to extend at length.
   2. to spread out in order; arrange; prepare.
   3. to plan; plot; design.
   4. to ready (a corpse) for burial.
   5. Informal. to spend or contribute (money).
   6. Slang. to knock (someone) down or unconscious.
   7. Slang. to scold vehemently; reprimand:

      Whenever I come home late from school, my mom really lays me out.

   8. to make a layout of.
   9. Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. to absent oneself from school or work without permission or justification; play hooky.
9. Informal. to wait for in order to attack or surprise; lie in wait for:

   The police are laying for him.

10. 1. to give up; yield:

       to lay down one's arms.

    2. to assert firmly; state authoritatively:

       to lay down rigid rules of conduct.

    3. to stock; store:

       to lay down wine.

    4. to produce or execute (something) successfully; throw down:

       In the top of the thirteenth inning, Jones laid down a perfect bunt.

    5. Shipbuilding. to draw at full size (the lines of a hull), as on the floor of a mold loft; lay off; loft.
11. 1. Nautical. to check the motion of (a ship).
    2. Nautical. to put (a ship) in a dock or other place of safety.
    3. to attack vigorously.
    4. to put forth effort; apply oneself.
12. 1. to abandon or put to one side.
    2. to save for use at a later time; store:

       to lay aside some money every month.

13. to store away for future use:

    We laid in a supply of canned goods.

14. Informal. to attack physically or verbally; assail:

    He laid into the opposition with fiery words.

15. 1. to cut open:

       to lay open an area of tissue with a scalpel.

    2. to expose; reveal:

       Her autobiography lays open shocking facts about her childhood.

    3. to expose or make vulnerable, as to blame, suspicion, or criticism:

       He was careful not to lay himself open to charges of partiality.

1. simple past tense of lie ².

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.

1. a short narrative or other poem, especially one to be sung.
2. a song.

1. (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.
2. any movable part of a loom.