lay

/leɪ/

noun

1
Arrangement or relationship; layout.
“the lay of the land”
2
A share of the profits in a business.
3
A lyrical, narrative poem written in octosyllabic couplets that often deals with tales of adventure and romance.
4
The direction a rope is twisted.
“Worm and parcel with the lay; turn and serve the other way.”
5
A casual sexual partner.
“What was I, just another lay you can toss aside as you go on to your next conquest?”
6
An act of sexual intercourse.
7
A plan; a scheme.
8
(uncountable) the laying of eggs.
“The hens are off the lay at present.”
9
A layer.

1
To place down in a position of rest, or in a horizontal position.
“A shower of rain lays the dust.”
2
To cause to subside or abate.
3
To prepare (a plan, project etc.); to set out, establish (a law, principle).
4
To install certain building materials, laying one thing on top of another.
“lay brick; lay flooring”
5
To produce and deposit an egg.
“Did dinosaurs lay their eggs in a nest?”
6
To bet (that something is or is not the case).
“I'll lay that he doesn't turn up on Monday.”
7
To deposit (a stake) as a wager; to stake; to risk.
8
To have sex with.
9
To take a position; to come or go.
“to lay forward; to lay aloft”
10
To state; to allege.
“to lay the venue”
11
To point; to aim.
“to lay a gun”
12
(ropemaking) To put the strands of (a rope, a cable, etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them.
“to lay a cable or rope”
13
To place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone.
14
To place (new type) properly in the cases.
15
To apply; to put.
16
To impose (a burden, punishment, command, tax, etc.).
“to lay a tax on land”
17
To impute; to charge; to allege.
18
To present or offer.
“to lay an indictment in a particular county; to lay a scheme before one”

1
Not belonging to the clergy, but associated with them.
“They seemed more lay than clerical.”
2
Non-professional; not being a member of an organized institution.
3
Not educated or cultivated; ignorant.

1
To rest in a horizontal position on a surface.
“The book lies on the table; the snow lies on the roof; he lies in his coffin”
2
To be placed or situated.
3
To abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition.
“The paper does not lie smooth on the wall.”
4
Used with in: to be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place; to consist.
5
Used with with: to have sexual relations with.
6
Used with on/upon: to be incumbent (on); to be the responsibility of a person.
7
To lodge; to sleep.
8
To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest.
9
To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained.

1
A ballad or sung poem; a short poem or narrative, usually intended to be sung.
“1805 The Lay of the Last Minstrel, Sir Walter Scott.”

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