Meaning of lay in English | Powered by Free Dictionary API

noun

• Arrangement or relationship; layout.

  Example: the lay of the land

• A share of the profits in a business.

• A lyrical, narrative poem written in octosyllabic couplets that often deals with tales of adventure and romance.

• The direction a rope is twisted.

  Example: Worm and parcel with the lay; turn and serve the other way.

• A casual sexual partner.

  Example: What was I, just another lay you can toss aside as you go on to your next conquest?

• An act of sexual intercourse.

• A plan; a scheme.

• (uncountable) the laying of eggs.

  Example: The hens are off the lay at present.

• A layer.

verb

• To place down in a position of rest, or in a horizontal position.

  Example: A shower of rain lays the dust.

• 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.

  Example: lay brick;  lay flooring

• To produce and deposit an egg.

  Example: Did dinosaurs lay their eggs in a nest?

• To bet (that something is or is not the case).

  Example: I'll lay that he doesn't turn up on Monday.

• To deposit (a stake) as a wager; to stake; to risk.

• To have sex with.

• To take a position; to come or go.

  Example: to lay forward;  to lay aloft

• To state; to allege.

  Example: to lay the venue

• To point; to aim.

  Example: to lay a gun

• (ropemaking) To put the strands of (a rope, a cable, etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them.

  Example: to lay a cable or rope

• To place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone.

• To place (new type) properly in the cases.

• To apply; to put.

• To impose (a burden, punishment, command, tax, etc.).

  Example: to lay a tax on land

• To impute; to charge; to allege.

• To present or offer.

  Example: to lay an indictment in a particular county;   to lay a scheme before one

noun

• A lake.

adjective

• Not belonging to the clergy, but associated with them.

  Example: They seemed more lay than clerical.

• Non-professional; not being a member of an organized institution.

• Not educated or cultivated; ignorant.

verb

• To rest in a horizontal position on a surface.

  Example: The book lies on the table;  the snow lies on the roof;  he lies in his coffin

• To be placed or situated.

• To abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition.

  Example: The paper does not lie smooth on the wall.

• Used with in: to be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place; to consist.

• Used with with: to have sexual relations with.

• Used with on/upon: to be incumbent (on); to be the responsibility of a person.

• To lodge; to sleep.

• To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest.

• To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained.

noun

• A ballad or sung poem; a short poem or narrative, usually intended to be sung.

  Example: 1805 The Lay of the Last Minstrel, Sir Walter Scott.

noun

• A meadow; a lea.

noun

• A law.

• An obligation; a vow.

verb

• To don or put on (tefillin (phylacteries)).