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Entry 36 senses · 9 variants Webster, 1913

Lay

/lā/ · IPA /leɪ/
01 imp. of Lie, to recline.
  1. 1.
    of Lie, to recline. See: Lie
02 a. Of or pertaining to the laity, as distinct from the clergy; as, a lay person; a lay preacher; a lay brother.
  1. 1.
    Of or pertaining to the laity, as distinct from the clergy; as, a lay person; a lay preacher; a lay brother.
  2. 2.
    Not educated or cultivated; ignorant.[Obs.]
  3. 3.
    Not belonging to, or emanating from, a particular profession; unprofessional; as, a lay opinion regarding the nature of a disease.
Phrases & compounds
Lay baptism — baptism administered by a lay person.
Lay brother — one received into a convent of monks under the three vows, but not in holy orders.
Lay clerk — a layman who leads the responses of the congregation, etc., in the church service.
Lay days — time allowed in a charter party for taking in and discharging cargo.
Lay elder — See 2d Elder, 3, note.
03 n. The laity; the common people.
  1. 1.
    The laity; the common people.[Obs.]
    “The learned have no more privilege than the lay.” — B. Jonson.
04 n. A meadow. See Lea.
  1. 1.
    A meadow. See Lea.[Obs.] See: Lea
05 n. Faith; creed; religious profession.
  1. 1.
    Faith; creed; religious profession.[Obs.]
    “Of the sect to which that he was born He kept his lay, to which that he was sworn.” — Chaucer.
  2. 2.
    A law.[Obs.]
  3. 3.
    An obligation; a vow.[Obs.]
    “They bound themselves by a sacred lay and oath.” — Holland.
06 a. A song; a simple lyrical poem; a ballad.
  1. 1.
    A song; a simple lyrical poem; a ballad.
  2. 2.
    A melody; any musical utterance.
    “The throstle cock made eke his lay.” — Chaucer.
07 v. t. To cause to lie down, to be prostrate, or to lie against something; to put or set down; to deposit; as, to lay a book on the table; to lay …
imp. & p. p. Laid; p. pr. & vb. n. Laying
  1. 1.
    To cause to lie down, to be prostrate, or to lie against something; to put or set down; to deposit; as, to lay a book on the table; to lay a body in the grave; a shower lays the dust.
    “A stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den.” — Dan. vi. 17.
    “Soft on the flowery herb I found me laid.” — Milton.
  2. 2.
    To place in position; to establish firmly; to arrange with regularity; to dispose in ranks or tiers; as, to lay a corner stone; to lay bricks in a wall; to lay the covers on a table.
  3. 3.
    To prepare; to make ready; to contrive; to provide; as, to lay a snare, an ambush, or a plan.
  4. 4.
    To spread on a surface; as, to lay plaster or paint.
  5. 5.
    To cause to be still; to calm; to allay; to suppress; to exorcise, as an evil spirit.
    “After a tempest when the winds are laid.” — Waller.
  6. 6.
    To cause to lie dead or dying.
    “Brave Cæneus laid Ortygius on the plain, The victor Cæneus was by Turnus slain.” — Dryden.
  7. 7.
    To deposit, as a wager; to stake; to risk.
    “I dare lay mine honor He will remain so.” — Shak.
  8. 8.
    To bring forth and deposit; as, to lay eggs.
  9. 9.
    To apply; to put.
    “She layeth her hands to the spindle.” — Prov. xxxi. 19.
  10. 10.
    To impose, as a burden, suffering, or punishment; to assess, as a tax; as, to lay a tax on land.
    “The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” — Is. liii. 6.
  11. 11.
    To impute; to charge; to allege.
    “God layeth not folly to them.” — Job xxiv. 12.
    “Lay the fault on us.” — Shak.
  12. 12.
    To impose, as a command or a duty; as, to lay commands on one.
  13. 13.
    To present or offer; as, to lay an indictment in a particular county; to lay a scheme before one.
  14. 14.
    To state; to allege; as, to lay the venue.(Law)
  15. 15.
    To point; to aim; as, to lay a gun.(Mil.)
  16. 16.
    To put the strands of (a rope, a cable, etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them; as, to lay a cable or rope.(Rope Making)
  17. 17.
    To place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone.(Print.)
    “And laid those proud roofs bare to summer's rain.” — Byron.
    “Let brave spirits . . . not be laid by.” — Bacon.
    “No selfish man will be concerned to lay out himself for the good of his country.” — Smalridge.
Syn. See Put, v. t., and the Note under 4th Lie.
08 v. i. To produce and deposit eggs.
  1. 1.
    To produce and deposit eggs.
  2. 2.
    To take a position; to come or go; as, to lay forward; to lay aloft.(Naut.)
  3. 3.
    To lay a wager; to bet.
Phrases & compounds
To lay about — to strike vigorously in all directions.
To lay at — to strike or strike at.
To lay for — to prepare to capture or assault; to lay wait for.
To lay in for — to make overtures for; to engage or secure the possession of.
To lay on — to strike; to beat; to attack.
To lay out — to purpose; to plan; as, he lays out to make a journey.
09 n. That which lies or is laid or is conceived of as having been laid or placed in its position; a row; a stratum; a layer; as, a lay of stone …
  1. 1.
    That which lies or is laid or is conceived of as having been laid or placed in its position; a row; a stratum; a layer; as, a lay of stone or wood.
    “A viol should have a lay of wire strings below.” — Bacon.
  2. 2.
    A wager.
  3. 3.
    A job, price, or profit.[Prov. Eng.]
  4. 4.
    A measure of yarn; a lea. See 1st Lea (a).(Textile Manuf.) See: Lea
  5. 5.
    A plan; a scheme.[Slang]
Phrases & compounds
Lay figure — A jointed model of the human body that may be put in any attitude; -- used for showing the disposition of drapery, etc.
Lay race — that part of a lay on which the shuttle travels in weaving; -- called also shuttle race.
the lay of the land — the general situation or state of affairs.
to get the lay of the land — to learn the general situation or state of affairs, especially in preparation for action.