Lay: meaning, definitions and examples
🛏️
lay
[ leɪ ]
intransitive
To put something down gently or carefully on a surface, typically in a horizontal position.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- He lay the baby down in the crib.
- She lay the book on the table.
transitive
To put something in a particular position or place, especially in a horizontal position.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- She lay the blanket over the sleeping child.
- He lay the cards on the table.
Translations
Translations of the word "lay" in other languages:
🇵🇹 deitar
- colocar
- pôr
🇮🇳 रखना
- बिछाना
- रखना
🇩🇪 legen
- hinlegen
- auslegen
🇮🇩 meletakkan
- menaruh
- berbaring
🇺🇦 класти
- лежати
- стелити
🇵🇱 kłaść
- położyć
- leżeć
🇯🇵 置く (oku)
- 横たえる (yokotāeru)
- 敷く (shiku)
🇫🇷 poser
- mettre
- coucher
🇪🇸 poner
- acostar
- colocar
🇹🇷 koymak
- yatırmak
- sermek
🇰🇷 놓다 (nohta)
- 눕히다 (nupida)
- 깔다 (kkalda)
🇸🇦 وضع (wada'a)
- استلقى (istalqā)
- بسط (basata)
🇨🇿 položit
- lehnout
- klást
🇸🇰 položiť
- ležať
- klásť
🇨🇳 放 (fàng)
- 躺下 (tǎng xià)
- 铺 (pū)
🇸🇮 položiti
- ležati
- položiti
🇮🇸 leggja
- leggja niður
- leggja á borð
🇰🇿 қою
- жатқызу
- төсеу
🇬🇪 დადება (dadeba)
- დაწოლა (dats'ola)
- დაფენა (dafena)
🇦🇿 qoymaq
- uzatmaq
- sərmək
🇲🇽 poner
- acostar
- colocar
Word origin
The word 'lay' has a complex history, with origins in Old English and Germanic languages. In Old English, 'lecgan' meant 'to place,' which eventually evolved into the modern 'lay.' Over time, the word has taken on various meanings and uses in English, reflecting its versatile nature in describing actions of placing or positioning objects. The word has also influenced idiomatic expressions and phrases, adding depth to its usage in the English language.
See also: layabout, layer, layoff, layout, layover, mislay, outlay, outlays, relay.