verb
lay
LAY/leɪ/
To put something into a chosen position.
An adult carefully lays a ceramic bowl on the table.
Etymology
Old English lecgan meant placing something down. Lay is the causative counterpart of lie: to lay something down is to cause it to lie or rest somewhere.
In context
Put him on his shield, Hubert, and let four archers bear him to the monastery. Lay him at the feet of the Cardinal
More examples
- He laid a blanket over the sleeping child.
- We lay the pieces side by side before assembling them.
- The crew is laying new pipes beneath the street.
Forms
lay · lays · laid · laying