Lay is often used where lie is considered standard, as in "I'm going to lay down for a quick nap." The use, which dates to the 14th century, troubled no one until the 18th, but since then, people who care …

LAY definition: 1. to put something in especially a flat or horizontal position, usually carefully or for a…. Learn more.

Lay commonly means to put or place someone or something down, as in Lay the bags on the table or I’m going to lay the baby in the crib. The sense of lie that’s often confused with lay means to be in or …

Apr 4, 2026 · One is that the form lay was also originally used as both the base form of lay and as the simple past of lie. Another is the use of lay as a reflexive verb meaning “to go lie (down)”.

If you lay something such as carpets, cables, or foundations, you put them into their permanent position. A man came to lay the carpet.

Definition of lay verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

The way or position in which something is situated or arranged. The lay of the land.