Definition of lay - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
place gentlyput something down gently or carefully
- She lay the book on the table.
2.
constructionTECH. install building materials in positionTECH.
- They lay the tiles in the kitchen.
3.
responsibilityimpose or apply as a burden
- They lay a tax on all imports..
4.
reproductionintr. produce and deposit eggsintr.
- The hen lay an egg every morning.
5.
gamblingUS bet a certain amount of moneyUS
- I'll lay $50 on the winning horse..
Adjective
1.
non-professionalnot belonging to a particular profession
- He offered some lay advice on the matter..
2.
religionnot part of the clergy or religious order
- He is a lay member of the church.
Noun
1.
- He was just a lay, nothing serious.
2.
designUS arrangement or relationship; layoutUS
- The lay of the land was perfect for farming.
3.
businessTECH. share of the profits in a businessTECH.
- He received his lay from the deal.
4.
musicDated ballad or sung poemDated
- The minstrel sang a lay at the feast.
5.
biologyTECH. the laying of eggsTECH.
- The hen's lay was abundant this season.
6.
nauticalTECH. the direction a rope is twistedTECH.
- The lay of the rope affects its strength.
Images of lay
the direction a rope is twisted
Expressions with lay
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
place something on top of another
Lay the blanket over the bed to keep warm.
criticize someone harshly
The coach laid into the team after the loss.
explain clearly and in detail
She will lay out the plan during the meeting..
say you have a right to something or demand it
She laid claim to the land after her uncle died.
produce an egg from the body
The hen will lay an egg every day.
physically touch someone, often to cause harm
Despite his efforts, he couldn't lay a glove on her.
touch or handle someone or something, sometimes with intent to harm
Don't lay a hand on my brother!
openly share all plans or feelings in a discussion
Before negotiations continue, let's lay our cards on the table.
end employees' jobs due to economic reasons
The company had to lay people off during the recession.
establish the basis for a concept
Her research laid the foundation for modern genetics.
start the basic work for a project
They lay the foundations for the new school last year.
prepare the foundation for future actions
They lay the ground for the new project.
harm or interfere with someone or something
Don't lay a finger on my books.
start or establish something
They lay a foundation for future success with their hard work.
stop fighting and surrender weapons
The soldiers were ordered to lay down their arms.
stop fighting or surrender
The soldiers were ordered to lay down their weapons and cease fire.
assert authority by dictating rules
The teacher laid down the law about homework.
give special importance or attention to something
The teacher lay emphasis on the need for honesty.
see or notice something for the first time
I knew it was love when I first laid eyes on her.
to find and acquire something desired
She finally managed to lay hands on the rare book she wanted..
exaggerate or overstate something
He tends to lay it on when talking about his achievements.
trends and factors influencing a situation
He assessed the lay of the land before making a decision.
apply a substance thickly
He decided to lay on the paint to cover the graffiti..
risk something valuable
He laid his career on the line for the project.
Origin of lay
Old English, lecgan (to place)
Terms with lay included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
movement
bend or lay so one part covers another
bird home
structure where birds lay eggs and raise young
animal structure
structure built by birds to lay eggs
poultry farming
small cage for hens to lay eggs
biology
place where animals regularly mate lay eggs or give birth
animal
place where animals lay eggs or give birth
bird breeding
enclosure for birds to lay eggs and raise young
cost reduction
temporarily lay off employees to cut costs
aquatic
underwater ground where fish lay eggs
britain
lay magistrate handling minor legal matters
agriculture
box in henhouse for chickens to lay eggs
bird breeding
enclosure provided for birds to lay eggs and raise young
fish breeding
place where fish breed and lay eggs
employment
lay off employees to reduce size
construction
lay bricks in a specific pattern
challenge
lay down a challenge or test commitment with risk
funeral
bury or lay someone to rest after death
covering
cover or lay with flat thick pieces
flooring
lay a floor with parquetry
religious order
member of a lay sisterhood in the Roman Catholic Church
church role
lay officer handling parish secular affairs
destruction
ravage or lay waste to an area
religion
transition of clergy to lay status
religion
reduce someone to lay status
Examples of lay in a sentence
Gently, she lay the baby in the crib. Workers lay the bricks for the new wall. They lay the foundation for the building. The government will lay new regulations on the industry. They lay penalties on late submissions. The turtle will lay its eggs on the beach.
Birds lay eggs in nests to protect them. He decided to lay $100 on the underdog. They lay a small amount on each game. Her lay perspective provided a fresh viewpoint. The book was written for a lay audience. She attended the lay conference last weekend. The lay perspective is often different from clergy. She considered him just a lay, not a boyfriend. In college, he was known as a lay, not a lover. The designer adjusted the lay of the interface. Check the lay of the tiles before grouting. Each partner got their lay after the project. The lay from the investment was substantial. The bard composed a lay for the royal court. A beautiful lay was performed by the choir during the ceremony. The farmer was pleased with the duck's lay this year. Observing the turtle's lay was a unique experience. The sailor checked the lay before setting sail. Understanding the lay is crucial for knot tying.
View all translations of lay
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:poser, non professionnel, ...
- German:legen, laienhaft, ...
- Italian:posare, laico, ...
- Spanish:poner, lego, ...
- Portuguese:colocar, leigo, ...
- Chinese:轻放, 外行的, ...
- Japanese:置く, 素人の, ...
- Arabic:وَضَعَ, عادي, ...
- Hebrew:לְהַנִּיחַ, לֹא מִקְצוֹעִי, ...
- Russian:класть, непрофессиональный, ...
- Ukrainian:класти, непрофесійний, ...
- Hindi:धीरे से रखना, ग़ैर-पेशेवर, ...
Definition of lie - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
flat positionrest in a horizontal position on a surface
- He likes to lie on the grass.
2.
deceptiongive false information intentionally
- He lied about his whereabouts.
3.
mapsbe placed or situated in a location
- The village lies in the valley.
4.
stateremain in a particular state or condition
- The book lies forgotten on the shelf.
5.
responsibilitybe the responsibility of someone
- The decision lies with the manager.
6.
legal sustainabilityRare be capable of being maintained legallyRare
- The claim does not lie in court.
Noun
1.
deceptionintentionally false statement meant to deceive
- He told a lie to avoid trouble.
2.
resting stateUK position or manner in which something is situatedUK
- The lie of the land was uneven.
3.
sportsterrain and conditions around a golf ball
- The lie of the ball was challenging.
Expressions with lie
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
deliberately say something untrue to someone
He decided to lie to his parents about where he had been..
be in the future
Great opportunities lie ahead for those who work hard.
be left untidily in various places
Clothes and books lie around the room..
be located at the back of something
A beautiful garden lies behind the old house.
to remain in bed later than usual
On Sundays, I usually lie in until noon..
notice when someone is not telling the truth
She quickly spotted the lie in his story.
say something untrue to avoid hurting someone
She decided to tell a white lie to avoid hurting his feelings.
rest with the whole body level on a surface
Lie flat on the mat and relax your shoulders.
false statement repeated often to deceive
The politician's claim was a big lie designed to mislead the public..
stay in bed longer for leisure
On Sundays, I like to have a lie in.
leave something in its current state
She chose to let it lie rather than make any changes.
stay hidden or quiet to avoid being noticed or found
He decided to lie low until things calmed down.
use lies to achieve a goal or outcome
She lied her way into the exclusive club.
small lie told to avoid hurting feelings
She told a little white lie to spare his feelings.
used to emphasize the truth of a statement
I saw him win the race, no lie.
small lie told to avoid hurting feelings or trouble
She told a white lie to avoid an argument.
lie that is obvious and undisguised
He told a bald lie about his whereabouts.
lie that is obvious and shameless
He told a bald-faced lie about his whereabouts last night.
leave things as they are
He decided to let sleeping dogs lie and not pursue the matter further.
avoid causing trouble by not disturbing a peaceful situation
It's best to let the sleeping dogs lie and not bring up old arguments.
leave a situation unchanged without interference
He decided to let things lie and not confront her.
be considered the responsibility or fault of a person or group
Many critics say the policy failures lie at its door.
be someone's responsibility or fault
The mistake lies at his door, not mine.
be in a state of complete destruction
After the earthquake, the city lay in ruins.
Origin of lie
Old English, lyge (falsehood)
Examples of lie in a sentence
After a long day, he decided to lie on the couch. She lied to protect her friend's secret. They lied about their qualifications on the resume. The island lies just off the coast. A narrow path lies behind the old church. The old house lies abandoned in the woods.
The truth lies hidden beneath the surface. The final call lies with the board. The responsibility lies with the team leader. The lawsuit cannot lie due to lack of evidence. Such a case would not lie under current laws. The lie was obvious to everyone in the room. She couldn't forgive him for the lie he told. The lie of the road made driving difficult. He studied the lie of the golf ball before taking his shot. The golfer assessed the lie before taking the shot. The lie of the ball required a strategic approach.
View all translations of lie
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:s'allonger, mensonge, ...
- German:liegen, Lüge, ...
- Italian:sdraiarsi, bugia, ...
- Spanish:tumbarse, mentira, ...
- Portuguese:deitar-se, mentira, ...
- Chinese:躺, 谎言, ...
- Japanese:横たわる, 嘘, ...
- Arabic:اِسْتَلْقَى, كذبة, ...
- Hebrew:לִשְׁכַּב, שֶׁקֶר, ...
- Russian:лежать, ложь, ...
- Ukrainian:лежати, брехня, ...
- Hindi:लेटना, झूठ, ...
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