lay

Definitions from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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[ English

Rank of this word in the English language, from analyzing texts from Project Gutenberg.
open	therefore	feet	#324: lay	along	four	wish

[ Pronunciation

enPR: lā, IPA: /leɪ/, SAMPA: /leI/
Audio (US)^{help, file}

Homophones: lei, ley
Rhymes: -eɪ

[ Etymology 1

Old English lecgan, from Germanic. A causative form of lie. Cognate with Dutch leggen, German legen, Swedish lägga.

[ Verb

Infinitive
to lay

Third person singular
lays

Simple past
laid

Past participle
laid

Present participle
laying

to lay (third-person singular simple present lays, present participle laying, simple past and past participle laid)

(transitive) To place something down in a position of rest.
(transitive, archaic) To cause to subside or abate.
(transitive) To leave something somewhere.
(transitive) To prepare (e.g., the groundwork, the table).
(transitive) To install certain building materials, laying one thing on top of another (e.g. lay brick, lay flooring.)
(transitive) To produce and deposit (an egg).
(transitive) To have sexual intercourse with someone, especially in a casual manner.
(transitive) To wager that an event will not take place (the opposite of to back).
(intransitive, nonstandard or colloquial) To lie.

[ Derived terms

lay away
lay down - to specify - (to lay down the law)
lay out - to specify - (lay out the guidelines)
lay low - hide, avoid being seen
lay about - assault
lay to rest - place in a grave or tomb; "the pharaos were entombed in the pyramids" - synonyms : entomb, inhume, inter, bury.
lay siege

[ Translations

to place something down in a position of rest

Danish: lægge
Dutch: leggen nl(nl)
Finnish: asettaa fi(fi), panna fi(fi), laittaa fi(fi)
French: coucher fr(fr)
German: legen de(de)
Indonesian: meletakkan, menempatkan

Italian: posare it(it), porre it(it)
Japanese: 置く (おく, oku), 産む (うむ)
Lojban: punji
Old English: lecgan ang(ang)
Slovene: položiti
Spanish: acostar es(es)
Swedish: lägga sv(sv)

to prepare

Italian: disporre it(it)
Slovene: položiti

Spanish: poner es(es)

to install certain building materials

Italian: posare it(it)
Slovene: položiti

Spanish: poner es(es)

to give birth to eggs

Finnish: munia fi(fi)
French: pondre fr(fr)
Italian: deporre it(it)

Lojban: se jbena, seljbe
Spanish: poner es(es)

[ Etymology 2

From the verb.

[ Noun

Singular
lay

Plural
lays

lay (plural lays)

Arrangement or relationship; layout; eg, the lay of the land.
The direction a rope is twisted.

Worm and parcel with the lay; turn and serve the other way.
A casual sexual partner.
A ballad or sung poem.

[ Synonyms

See WikiSaurus:promiscuous woman

[ Translations

arrangement or relationship

Dutch: ligging f.

[ Etymology 3

From Old French lai (French laïque).

[ Adjective

lay (comparative more lay, superlative most lay)

Positive
lay

Comparative
more lay

Superlative
most lay

Non-professional, not being a member of an organized institution (e.g. scientific lay person).
Not belonging to the clergy.

They seemed more lay than clerical.