lay*/*/*/

[leɪ] (past tense and past participle laid [leɪd] ) verb [T] I

1) to put someone or something down in a careful way, especially so that they are lying flat

Lay the baby on her back.[/ex]

He laid his coat across the arm of the chair.[/ex]

2) if a female animal such as a bird or fish lays an egg, it produces the egg by pushing it from its body

3) if you lay the table, you prepare a table for a meal by putting forks, knives, spoons, dishes etc on it

Syn:

set

4) to carefully plan and prepare something

an agreement that laid the foundations for a lasting peace[/ex]

The gunman realized the police had laid a trap and surrendered.[/ex]

•

be laid up (in bed) with sth — to have to stay in bed as a result of being ill or injured[/ex]

He's still laid up with a bad back.[/ex]

lay the blame / responsibility (for sth) on — to say that someone or something is responsible for something that has happened[/ex]

Don't try to lay the blame on me.[/ex]

not lay a finger on sb — to not hit or harm someone in any way[/ex]

See:

rest I

- lay sth down

- lay into sb

- lay sb off

- lay off (sb/sth)

- lay sth on

- lay sth out

■ Lay means to put something in a particular place or position: I always lay my clothes carefully on the chair when I undress. ♦ He laid the book on the desk. ■ Lie means to be in a particular place or position: I found the cat lying in front of the fire. ♦ He loves to lie on the beach all day. ♦ Papers were lying all over the desk. ■ Lay is also the past form of the verb lie: The book lay on the floor where I'd left it. II

adj

lay [leɪ]

lacking professional or advanced knowledge of a particular subject

a book intended for a lay audience[/ex]

III lay the past tense of lie I