Lay Definition

laid, laying, lays
verb
laid, laying, lays
To lay an egg or eggs.
Webster's New World
To cause to come down or fall with force; knock down, as from an erect position.
A blow laid him low.
Webster's New World
To put down or place (bricks, carpeting, etc.) in the correct position or way for a specific purpose.
Webster's New World
To bury.
American Heritage
To cause to be situated in a particular place or condition.
The film's first scene is laid in France.
Webster's New World
noun
lays
The way or position in which something is situated or arranged.
The lay of the land.
Webster's New World
The amount of such twist.
American Heritage
A share in the profits of some enterprise, esp. of a whaling expedition.
Webster's New World
The direction or amount of twist of the strands of a rope, cable, etc.
Webster's New World
The state of one that lays eggs.
A hen coming into lay.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
adjective
Of, relating to, or involving the laity.
A lay preacher.
American Heritage
Of or consisting of the laity, or ordinary people, as distinguished from the clergy.
Webster's New World
Not belonging to or connected with a given profession; nonprofessional.
A legal handbook for lay readers.
Webster's New World
Non-professional; not being a member of an organized institution.
Wiktionary
Antonyms:
pronoun

A river in western France.

Wiktionary
Wiktionary
idiom
lay down the law
  • To issue orders or instructions sharply or imperiously.
American Heritage
lay it on thick
  • To exaggerate or overstate something.
American Heritage
lay low
  • To keep oneself or one's plans hidden.
  • To bide one's time but remain ready for action.
American Heritage
lay of the land
  • The nature, arrangement, or disposition of something.
American Heritage
lay rubber
  • To accelerate a motor vehicle suddenly from a stop so that the wheels spin rapidly.
American Heritage

Other Word Forms of Lay

Noun

Singular:
lay
Plural:
lays

Origin of Lay

  • From Middle English layen, leggen, from Old English lecgan (“to lay"), from Proto-Germanic *lagjanÄ… (“to lay"), causative form of Proto-Germanic *ligjanÄ…, *legjanÄ… (“to lie, recline"), from Proto-Indo-European *legÊ°- (“to lie, recline"). Cognate with Dutch leggen (“to lay"), German legen (“to lay"), Norwegian ligge (“to lay"), Swedish lägga (“to lay"), Icelandic leggja (“to lay"), Albanian lag (“troop, band, war encampment").

    From Wiktionary

  • From Middle English lay, from Old French lai (“song, lyric, poem"), from Frankish *laik, *laih (“play, melody, song"), from Proto-Germanic *laikaz, *laikiz (“jump, play, dance, hymn"), from Proto-Indo-European *loig-, *(e)laiǵ- (“to jump, spring, play"). Akin to Old High German leih (“a play, skit, melody, song"), Middle High German leich (“piece of music, epic song played on a harp"), Old English lācan (“to move quickly, fence, sing"). See lake.

    From Wiktionary

  • From Middle English laie, lawe, from Old English lagu (“sea, flood, water, ocean"), from Proto-Germanic *laguz (“water, sea"), from Proto-Indo-European *lakw- (“water, body of water, lake"). Cognate with Icelandic lögur (“liquid, fluid, lake"), Latin lacus (“lake, hollow, hole").

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English from Old French lai from Late Latin lāicus from Greek lāikos of the people from lāos the people

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Middle English leien from Old English lecgan legh- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Middle English from Old French lai

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Old French lai

    From Wiktionary

  • From the verb.

    From Wiktionary

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