lay

IPA: ɫˈeɪ

noun

  • Arrangement or relationship; layout.
  • A share of the profits in a business.
  • The direction a rope is twisted.
  • (colloquial) A casual sexual partner.
  • (colloquial) An act of sexual intercourse.
  • (slang, archaic) A place or activity where someone spends a significant portion of their time.
  • The laying of eggs.
  • (obsolete) A layer.
  • (obsolete) A basis or ground.
  • A lake.
  • A ballad or sung poem; a short poem or narrative, usually intended to be sung.
  • A lyrical, narrative poem written in octosyllabic couplets that often deals with tales of adventure and romance.
  • (obsolete) A meadow; a lea.
  • (obsolete) A law.
  • (obsolete) An obligation; a vow.
  • A river in western France.
  • A surname.

verb

  • (transitive)
  • To place down in a position of rest, or in a horizontal position.
  • (archaic) To cause to subside or abate.
  • To prepare (a plan, project etc.); to set out, establish (a law, principle).
  • To install certain building materials, laying one thing on top of another.
  • To produce and deposit an egg.
  • To bet (that something is or is not the case).
  • To deposit (a stake) as a wager; to stake; to risk.
  • (slang) To have sex with.
  • (law) To state; to allege.
  • (military) To point; to aim.
  • (ropemaking) To put the strands of (a rope, a cable, etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them.
  • (printing) To place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone.
  • (printing) To place (new type) properly in the cases.
  • To apply; to put.
  • To impose (a burden, punishment, command, tax, etc.).
  • To impute; to charge; to allege.
  • To present or offer.
  • (intransitive)
  • (nautical) To take a position; to come or go.
  • (proscribed, see usage notes) To lie: to rest in a horizontal position on a surface.
  • (Judaism, transitive) To don or put on (tefillin (phylacteries)).

adjective

  • Not belonging to the clergy, but associated with them.
  • Non-professional; not being a member of an organized institution.
  • (card games) Not trumps.
  • (obsolete) Not educated or cultivated; ignorant.
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Examples of "lay" in Sentences

  • The female bird lay eggs.
  • The adults lay eggs in the lungs.
  • Therein lays the crux of the problem.
  • The real problem lay in compatibility.
  • That way lays confusion and disharmony.
  • The church lay to the east of the tower.
  • The laying of the cornerstone was in May 1994.
  • Put on your politest demeanor and just lay the facts on the line.
  • Reptiles lay eggs on land whereas amphibia lay their eggs in water.
  • We feel mohair has gone as far as it can and it is time to lay it to rest.

Related Links

synonyms for laydescribing words for lay
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