ALL meanings of lay
lay
L l - verb with object lay 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. 1
- verb without object lay to be in a horizontal, recumbent, or prostrate position, as on a bed or the ground; recline. Antonyms: stand. 1
- verb without object lay (of objects) to rest in a horizontal or flat position: The book lies on the table. Antonyms: stand. 1
- verb without object lay to be or remain in a position or state of inactivity, subjection, restraint, concealment, etc.: to lie in ambush. 1
- verb without object lay to rest, press, or weigh (usually followed by on or upon): These things lie upon my mind. 1
- verb without object lay to depend (usually followed by on or upon). 1
- verb without object lay to be placed or situated: land lying along the coast. 1
- verb without object lay to be stretched out or extended: the broad plain that lies before us. 1
- verb without object lay to be in or have a specified direction; extend: The trail from here lies to the west. 1
- verb without object lay to be found or located in a particular area or place: The fault lies here. 1
- verb without object lay to consist or be grounded (usually followed by in): The real remedy lies in education. 1
- verb without object lay to be buried in a particular spot: Their ancestors lie in the family plot. 1
- verb without object lay Law. to be sustainable or admissible, as an action or appeal. 1
- verb without object lay Archaic. to lodge; stay the night; sojourn. 1
- noun lay the manner, relative position, or direction in which something lies: the lie of the patio, facing the water. Synonyms: place, location, site. 1
- noun lay the haunt or covert of an animal. 1
- noun lay Golf. the position of the ball relative to how easy or how difficult it is to play. 1
- idioms lay lie down on the job, Informal. to do less than one could or should do; shirk one's obligations. 1
- idioms lay lie in state. state (def 24). 1
- idioms lay lie low. low1 (def 51). 1
- idioms lay lie to, Nautical. (of a ship) to lie comparatively stationary, usually with the head as near the wind as possible. 1
- idioms lay take lying down, to hear or yield without protest, contradiction, or resistance: I refuse to take such an insult lying down. 1
- verb lay simple past tense of lie2 . 1
- adjective lay belonging to, pertaining to, or performed by the people or laity, as distinguished from the clergy: a lay sermon. 1
- adjective lay not belonging to, connected with, or proceeding from a profession, especially the law or medicine. 1
- transitive verb lay place horizontally 1
- transitive verb lay blame, stress: assign 1
- transitive verb lay produce egg 1
- transitive verb lay floor: cover 1
- transitive verb lay table: set, prepare 1
- adjective lay not religious 1
- adjective lay not member of a religious order 1
- adjective lay not professional 1
- noun lay sexual partner 1
- noun lay sexual intercourse 1
- noun lay medieval poem 1
- noun lay medieval song 1
- intransitive verb lay produce eggs 1
- transitive verb lay install 1
- transitive verb lay place a bet 1
- transitive verb lay bet 1
- noun lay Put down, especially gently or carefully. 1
- noun lay Lay1 and lie2 are often confused. Lay is most commonly a transitive verb and takes an object. Its forms are regular. If “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. Lay also has many intransitive senses, among them “to lay eggs” (The hens have stopped laying), and it forms many phrasal verbs, such as lay off “to dismiss (from employment)” or “to stop annoying or teasing” and lay over “to make a stop.” 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. 1
- verb lay If you lay something somewhere, you put it there in a careful, gentle, or neat way. 0
- verb lay If you lay the table or lay the places at a table, you arrange the knives, forks, and other things that people need on the table before a meal. 0
- verb lay If you lay something such as carpets, cables, or foundations, you put them into their permanent position. 0
- verb lay To lay a trap means to prepare it in order to catch someone or something. 0
- verb lay When a female bird lays an egg, it produces an egg by pushing it out of its body. 0
- verb lay Lay is used with some nouns to talk about making official preparations for something. For example, if you lay the basis for something or lay plans for it, you prepare it carefully. 0
- verb lay Lay is used with some nouns in expressions about accusing or blaming someone. For example, if you lay the blame for a mistake on someone, you say it is their fault, or if the police lay charges against someone, they officially accuse that person of a crime. 0