Definitions of lay [ɪ]

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Definition of 'lay'

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

1. (v.t.) lay
to put or place in a horizontal position or position of rest; set down:
to lay a book on a desk.

2.  lay
to knock or beat down, as from an erect position; strike or throw to the ground:
One punch laid him low.

3.  lay
to put or place in a particular position:
The dog laid its ears back.

4.  lay
to cause to be in a particular state or condition:
Their motives were laid bare; We laid their doubts at rest.

5.  lay
to set, place, or apply (often fol. by to or on):
to lay a hand on someone.

6.  lay
to dispose or place in proper position or in an orderly fashion:
to lay bricks.

7.  lay
to place on, along, or under a surface:
to lay a pipeline.

8.  lay
to establish as a basis; set up:
to lay the foundations for further negotiations.

9.  lay
to present or submit for notice or consideration:
I laid my case before the commission.

10.  lay
to present, bring forward, or make, as a claim or charge.

11.  lay
to impute, attribute, or ascribe:
to lay blame on the inspector.

12.  lay
to bury:
They laid him in the old churchyard.

13.  lay
to bring forth and deposit (an egg or eggs).

14.  lay
to impose as a burden, duty, penalty, or the like:
to lay an embargo on oil shipments.

15.  lay
to place dinner service on (a table); set.

16.  lay
to place on or over a surface, as paint; cover or spread with something else.

17.  lay
to devise or arrange, as a plan.

18.  lay
to deposit as a wager; stake:
He laid $10 on the horse.

19.  lay
to bet (someone):
I'll lay you ten to one that we win.

20.  lay
to set (a trap).

21.  lay
to place, set, or locate:
The scene is laid in France.

22.  lay
to smooth down or make even:
to lay the nap of cloth.

23.  lay
to quiet or make vanish:
to lay a ghost.

24.  lay
to cause to subside:
A light rain layed the dust.

25.  lay
Vulgar Slang. to have sexual intercourse with.

26.  lay
to bring (a stick, lash, etc.) down, as on a person, in inflicting punishment.

27.  lay
to form by twisting strands together, as a rope.

28.  lay
to move or turn (a sailing vessel) into a certain position or direction.

29.  lay
to aim a cannon in a specified direction at a specified elevation.

30.  lay
to put (dogs) on a scent.

31. (v.i.) lay
to lay eggs.

32.  lay
to wager or bet.

33.  lay
to apply oneself vigorously.

34.  lay
to deal or aim blows vigorously (usu. fol. by on, at, about, etc.).

35.  lay
Nonstandard.

36.  lay
South Midland U.S. to plan or scheme (often fol. by out).

37.  lay
Naut. to take up a specified position, direction, etc.:
to lay close to the wind.

38.  lay
lay aboard, (formerly, of a fighting ship) to come alongside (another fighting ship) in order to board.

39.  lay
lay aside,

40.  lay
to abandon; reject.

41.  lay
to save for use at a later time; store.

42.  lay
lay away,

43.  lay
to reserve for later use; save.

44.  lay
to hold merchandise pending final payment or request for delivery:
to lay away a winter coat.

45.  lay
to bury (someone).

46.  lay
Slang. to relax.

47.  lay
lay by,

48.  lay
to put away for future use; store; save:
She had managed to lay by money for college.

49.  lay
lay down,

50.  lay
to give up; hand over; yield.

51.  lay
to assert firmly; state authoritatively.

52.  lay
to stock; store:
to lay down wine.

53.  lay
lay for, to wait for in hiding in order to ambush.

54.  lay
lay in, to store away for future use.

55.  lay
lay into, to attack physically or verbally.

56.  lay
lay off,

57.  lay
to dismiss (an employee), esp. temporarily because of slack business.

58.  lay
Informal. to cease or quit.

59.  lay
Slang. to stop annoying or teasing.

60.  lay
Informal. to stop work.

61.  lay
to stop or stop using:
to lay off drinking.

62.  lay
to mark off; measure; plot.

63.  lay
to transfer (part of a wager) to other bookmakers, for protection against losses.

64.  lay
to transfer (blame or responsibility) to another.

65.  lay
lay on,

66.  lay
to cover with; apply:
to lay on a coat of wax.

67.  lay
to strike blows; attack violently.

68.  lay
lay open,

69.  lay
to cut open.

70.  lay
to expose; reveal.

71.  lay
to expose or make vulnerable, as to blame, suspicion, or criticism.

72.  lay
lay out,

73.  lay
to extend at length.

74.  lay
to spread out in order; arrange; prepare.

75.  lay
to plan; plot; design.

76.  lay
to ready (a corpse) for burial.

77.  lay
Informal. to spend or contribute (money).

78.  lay
Slang. to knock (someone) down or unconscious.

79.  lay
Slang. to scold vehemently; reprimand.

80.  lay
to make a layout of.

81.  lay
lay over,

82.  lay
to postpone.

83.  lay
to make a stopover.

84.  lay
lay to,

85.  lay
to check the motion of (a ship).

86.  lay
to put (a ship) in a dock or other place of safety.

87.  lay
to attack vigorously.

88.  lay
to put forth effort; apply oneself.

89.  lay
lay up,

90.  lay
to put away for future use; store up.

91.  lay
to cause to be confined to bed or kept indoors; disable.

92.  lay
to construct (a masonry structure).

93.  lay
to apply (alternate layers of a material and a binder) to form a bonded material.

94. (n.) lay
the way or position in which a thing is laid or lies:
the lay of the south pasture.

95.  lay
Vulgar Slang.

96.  lay
a partner in sexual intercourse.

97.  lay
an instance of sexual intercourse.

98.  lay
the quality of a fiber rope characterized by the degree of twist, the angles formed by the strands, and the fibers in the strands.

99.  lay
a share of the profits or the catch of a whaling or fishing voyage, distributed to officers and crew.

100.  lay
Vulgar Slang. to have sexual intercourse with someone.

101. (v.) lay
pt. of

102. (adj.) lay
belonging to, involving, or performed by the laity, as distinguished from the clergy:
a lay sermon.

103.  lay
not belonging to, connected with, or proceeding from a profession, esp. the law or medicine:
a lay opinion on a legal case.

104. (n.) lay
a short narrative or other poem.

105.  lay
a song.

Etymology: (1200–50; ME lai < OF, perh. < Celtic; cf. OIr láed, laíd poem, lay)

Definition of 'lay'

Princeton's WordNet

1. (noun) ballad, lay
a narrative song with a recurrent refrain

2. (adj) ballad, lay
a narrative poem of popular origin

3. (adj) laic, lay, secular
characteristic of those who are not members of the clergy
"set his collar in laic rather than clerical position"; "the lay ministry"

4. (verb) lay
not of or from a profession
"a lay opinion as to the cause of the disease"

5. (verb) put, set, place, pose, position, lay
put into a certain place or abstract location
"Put your things here"; "Set the tray down"; "Set the dogs on the scent of the missing children"; "Place emphasis on a certain point"

6. (verb) lay, put down, repose
put in a horizontal position
"lay the books on the table"; "lay the patient carefully onto the bed"

7. (verb) lay
prepare or position for action or operation
"lay a fire"; "lay the foundation for a new health care plan"

8. (verb) lay
lay eggs
"This hen doesn't lay"

9. (verb) lay
impose as a duty, burden, or punishment
"lay a responsibility on someone"

Definition of 'lay'

Kernerman English Learner’s Dictionary

1. (verb) lay
to put carefully in a position
She laid the book on the table.; Lay the shirts out flat.

2.  lay
to put or attach permanently in place; = install
workmen laying pipes/cables

3.  lay
(of a bird, insect, or fish) to produce an egg
The robin had laid two eggs.

4.  lay
used to form phrases with some nouns

5.  lay
lay (the) blame
to blame
The coach laid the blame on the opposing team.

6.  lay
lay claim to
to claim
fans laying claim to the tickets

7.  lay
to make ready; = prepare
to lay a trap

8.  lay
lay the table
to put knives, forks, glasses, etc. on the table before eating

9.  lay
the past tense of "lie"
He lay on the bed.

Definition of 'lay'

Webster Dictionary

1. (adj) lay
of or pertaining to the laity, as distinct from the clergy; as, a lay person; a lay preacher; a lay brother

2. (adj) lay
not educated or cultivated; ignorant

3. (adj) lay
not belonging to, or emanating from, a particular profession; unprofessional; as, a lay opinion regarding the nature of a disease

4. (adj) lay
a song; a simple lyrical poem; a ballad

5. (adj) lay
a melody; any musical utterance

6. (noun) lay
the laity; the common people

7. (noun) lay
a meadow. See Lea

8. (noun) lay
faith; creed; religious profession

9. (noun) lay
a law

10. (noun) lay
an obligation; a vow

11. (noun) lay
that which lies or is laid or is conceived of as having been laid or placed in its position; a row; a stratum; a layer; as, a lay of stone or wood

12. lay
of Lie, to recline

13. lay
of Lie

14. (verb) lay
to cause to lie down, to be prostrate, or to lie against something; to put or set down; to deposit; as, to lay a book on the table; to lay a body in the grave; a shower lays the dust

15. (verb) lay
to place in position; to establish firmly; to arrange with regularity; to dispose in ranks or tiers; as, to lay a corner stone; to lay bricks in a wall; to lay the covers on a table

16. (verb) lay
to prepare; to make ready; to contrive; to provide; as, to lay a snare, an ambush, or a plan

17. (verb) lay
to spread on a surface; as, to lay plaster or paint

18. (verb) lay
to cause to be still; to calm; to allay; to suppress; to exorcise, as an evil spirit

19. (verb) lay
to cause to lie dead or dying

20. (verb) lay
to deposit, as a wager; to stake; to risk

21. (verb) lay
to bring forth and deposit; as, to lay eggs

22. (verb) lay
to apply; to put

23. (verb) lay
to impose, as a burden, suffering, or punishment; to assess, as a tax; as, to lay a tax on land

24. (verb) lay
to impute; to charge; to allege

25. (verb) lay
to impose, as a command or a duty; as, to lay commands on one

26. (verb) lay
to present or offer; as, to lay an indictment in a particular county; to lay a scheme before one

27. (verb) lay
to state; to allege; as, to lay the venue

28. (verb) lay
to point; to aim; as, to lay a gun

29. (verb) lay
to put the strands of (a rope, a cable, etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them; as, to lay a cable or rope

30. (verb) lay
to place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone

31. (verb) lay
to place (new type) properly in the cases

32. (verb) lay
to produce and deposit eggs

33. (verb) lay
to take a position; to come or go; as, to lay forward; to lay aloft

34. (verb) lay
to lay a wager; to bet

35. (verb) lay
a wager

36. (verb) lay
a job, price, or profit

37. (verb) lay
a share of the proceeds or profits of an enterprise; as, when a man ships for a whaling voyage, he agrees for a certain lay

38. (verb) lay
a measure of yarn; a lea. See 1st Lea (a)

39. (verb) lay
the lathe of a loom. See Lathe, 3

40. (verb) lay
a plan; a scheme

Definition of 'lay'

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms

1. lay
1. Direct or adjust the aim of a weapon. 2. Setting of a weapon for a given range, a given direction, or both. 3. To drop one or more aerial bombs or aerial mines onto the surface from an aircraft. 4. To spread a smoke screen on the ground from an aircraft. 5. To calculate or project a course. 6. To lay on: a. to execute a bomber strike; b. to set up a mission.

Translation of 'lay'

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

Sense: to place, set or put (down), often carefully She laid the clothes in a drawer / on a chair; He laid down his pencil; She laid her report before the committee.
Afrikaans: uitlê, neerlê	Arabic: يَضَع	Bulgarian: поставям
Brazilian: colocar	Czech: vložit; položit; předloži	German: legen
Danish: lægge; anbringe; præsente	Greek: τοποθετώ, βάζω, στήνω (συ	Spanish: poner, colocar
Estonian: panema, asetama	Farsi: قرار دادن	Finnish: asettaa
French: poser	Hebrew: לְהַנִיחַ	Hindi: रखना
Croatian: položiti	Hungarian: helyez, (le)tesz	Indonesian: meletakkan
Icelandic: leggja (frá sér/niður/fyr	Italian: posare	Japanese: 置く
Korean: …을 두다, 놓다	Lithuanian: padėti	Latvian: []likt
Malay: meletakkan	Dutch: leggen	Norwegian: legge (ned)
Polish: położyć, przedłożyć	Persian: ،جا گرفتن قرار دادن	Pashto: كيناستل،كيښودل
Portuguese: pousar	Romanian: a pune, a depune	Russian: класть
Slovak: položiť; predložiť	Slovenian: položiti, odložiti, predl	Serbian: složiti
Swedish: lägga	Thai: วาง	Turkish: koymak, bırakmak
Taiwanese: 小心輕放	Ukrainian: класти, покласти	Urdu: با احتیاط رکھنا
Vietnamese: đặt; để	Chinese: 小心地放
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