lay
lay — verb
- laypresent simple I / you / we / they
- layshe / she / it
- laidpast simple
- laying-ing form
1. to place an object carefully onto a surface, so that it lies flat or is in the c
to place an object carefully onto a surface, so that it lies flat or is in the correct position
Mayumi laid the baby gently on the changing table and reached for a fresh nappy.
lay + noun + adverb/preposition indicating location
The workers are laying new floor tiles in the kitchen this morning.
progressive aspect: laying + object
Bilal laid the documents flat on the manager's desk before leaving.
Kasia laid the table with clean plates and shiny forks for the dinner guests.
New fibre-optic cables were laid along the entire street last month.
文法句型
lay + noun + adverb/preposition
用法筆記
Object is typically something that needs to be arranged or positioned carefully (cables, tiles, tableware, a baby). Frequently followed by a prepositional phrase or adverb indicating the location.
2. to put a coat or layer of a substance such as paint or mud onto a surface
to put a coat or layer of a substance such as paint or mud onto a surface
Vinícius laid a thick coat of paint on the old fence before the rain started.
lay + substance + on + surface
The gardener laid fresh mulch around the rose bushes to keep the soil moist.
Before baking, Folake laid a thin layer of butter on the cake pan.
Workers laid hot asphalt on the road leading up to the school entrance.
文法句型
lay + substance + on/over + surface
用法筆記
Common pattern: lay + [substance or material] + on/over + [surface]. The focus is on covering or coating, not on precise positioning of a whole object.
3. to think through and set up a plan, system, or method in a careful, organised wa
to think through and set up a plan, system, or method in a careful, organised way
The committee laid plans for the annual charity event six months in advance.
collocation: lay plans
Andrei laid the groundwork for his new business by studying the local market carefully.
collocation: lay the groundwork for
The city council laid out a strategy to improve bus services across the whole region.
Before the trial began, the lawyers laid the foundation for their argument in a written statement.
文法句型
lay + abstract noun (plans, groundwork, foundation)
用法筆記
Objects are typically abstract nouns such as plans, groundwork, foundation, strategy, or framework. This sense often appears in formal, academic, or business contexts. Distinguish from sense 1 (PUT DOWN): sense 3 deals with abstract preparation, not physical placement.
4. the past simple form of the verb 'lie' (meaning to be in a flat position with th
the past simple form of the verb 'lie' (meaning to be in a flat position with the body stretched out on a surface)
The dog lay by the fire all afternoon while the children played nearby.
subject (animal) + lay + adverb of place
Greta lay on the grass and stared up at the clouds passing overhead.
His phone lay on the kitchen counter for hours before he noticed it.
The old cat lay curled up on the sofa most of the morning.
文法句型
subject + lay + adverb of place
用法筆記
This is the correct past tense of the intransitive verb 'lie' (recline). It takes no direct object. Distinguish from sense 5 (NON-STANDARD): sense 4 is grammatically correct; sense 5 uses 'lay' for the present tense of 'lie', which is considered an error.
常見錯誤
5. to be in a flat or resting position, used by some speakers instead of the standa
to be in a flat or resting position, used by some speakers instead of the standard verb 'lie' — this use is widely regarded as incorrect in careful speech and writing
Mathieu's teacher told him not to say 'I need to lay down' when he wants to rest.
common learner error highlighted
In casual talk people say 'the book is laying on the table,' but formal writing prefers 'lying.'
A notice board sign read 'Go and lay down,' and a reader corrected it with a marker.
Brian's essay was marked down because he wrote 'lay on the beach' not 'lie on the beach.'
文法句型
lay (used incorrectly for lie)
用法筆記
Frequently flagged as an error in English exams and formal contexts. Standard forms: lie (present), lay (past), lain (past participle). 'Lay' as a present-tense verb always requires a direct object (e.g., 'lay the book down').
常見錯誤
6. (of a female animal such as a bird, fish, or insect) to release eggs from inside
(of a female animal such as a bird, fish, or insect) to release eggs from inside the body
The hen lays one egg almost every day during the warm summer months.
collocation: lay eggs
Sea turtles lay their eggs on the exact same beach where they themselves were born.
Sivan found a nest in the garden where a blackbird had laid four blue eggs.
The salmon swims upstream, lays thousands of eggs in the gravel, and then dies.
Our backyard chickens stopped laying completely when the temperature dropped below zero.
文法句型
lay + eggs
subject (animal) + lays
用法筆記
Used of birds, reptiles, fish, insects, and egg-laying mammals (e.g., the platypus). Not used for human reproduction. When used without 'eggs' (intransitive), the meaning is already understood (e.g., 'The hens are laying well this year').
7. to be sexually intimate with another person — this word is very direct and can s
to be sexually intimate with another person — this word is very direct and can sound rude if used carelessly
In some old novels, male characters boast about how many women they have laid.
informal register; boast of quantity
Jack's friends teased him for saying he had laid someone on the first date.
direct object = person
The film's villain casually claims he has laid every woman in the village.
Mira felt embarrassed when her date joked about laying other women.
Christopher's grandfather would never say "lay" to mean sex — he thought the word was crude.
- sleep with
softer and more common in everyday speech
- go to bed with
less direct, still somewhat informal but not crude
文法句型
lay + person
用法筆記
Considered vulgar or crude by many speakers. Avoid using this sense in polite conversation or formal writing. The past tense is laid, not 'layed'.
常見錯誤
8. to risk an amount of money by guessing the result of a competition, race, or gam
to risk an amount of money by guessing the result of a competition, race, or game, hoping that your guess is correct
Lucia laid fifty dollars on the grey horse to win the race.
lay + money + on + outcome
Darius laid a bet that his team would win the championship this year.
lay + a bet + that-clause
The gambler laid all his savings on a single card game and lost everything.
Soraya decided to lay a small amount on each football match that weekend.
Anong laid a wager with her brother over who could finish the puzzle first.
文法句型
lay + money + on + result
lay + a bet / a wager
用法筆記
Frequently used with a sum of money or the nouns bet and wager as the direct object. Common in the context of horse racing, card games, and sports.
常見錯誤
9. to present a claim, accusation, or piece of information in a formal or official
to present a claim, accusation, or piece of information in a formal or official way, especially to someone in authority
The lawyer laid serious accusations of fraud before the judge.
lay + accusation + before + authority figure
The police commissioner laid formal charges against the company director.
lay + charges + against + person
Mei laid her concerns before the school board at the meeting.
The committee laid a full report before Parliament for review.
Élise laid a complaint with the manager about the poor service.
文法句型
lay + accusation / charge / claim + before + authority
lay + statement + before + [person / institution]
用法筆記
Common in legal and administrative contexts. The pattern 'lay [something] before [someone/an institution]' is especially frequent in British English. The direct object is typically an abstract noun (accusation, charge, claim, complaint, report, statement).
常見錯誤
10. to state that something belongs to you or that you have a legal or moral right t
to state that something belongs to you or that you have a legal or moral right to it — for example, claiming ownership of a piece of land, an object, or a title
The farmer laid claim to the land his family had worked for three generations.
lay claim to + property
No one has ever laid claim to the jewellery found hidden in the old house.
negative construction: no one + lay claim to
The museum director laid claim to the ancient vase on behalf of the nation.
Yael laid claim to the title of regional champion after winning the final match.
Several distant relatives suddenly laid claim to the widow's estate after her death.
- claim
simpler and more common; 'claim' can stand alone ('He claimed the land'), while 'lay claim to' is more formal and emphatic
- assert ownership of
more technical and legal in tone
文法句型
lay claim to + noun phrase
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'lay claim to [something]'. The object can be concrete (land, money, an object) or abstract (a title, a right, an achievement). This sense does not take a that-clause or a simple direct object on its own.
常見錯誤
lay — noun
- laysingular
- laysplural
1. an informal and potentially offensive way of referring to someone as a sexual pa
an informal and potentially offensive way of referring to someone as a sexual partner, with the focus on their skill or how willing they are — used with adjectives such as 'good,' 'great,' or 'easy'
Minh had a reputation around campus as an easy lay.
collocation: easy lay — someone easily persuaded to have sex
Élise told Wren that Esteban was a surprisingly good lay.
collocation: good lay — a skilled sexual partner
The crude joke among the construction crew was about who was the best lay.
Reema considered the label 'good lay' a compliment, not an insult.
In some circles, casually calling someone a great lay is seen as disrespectful.
- sexual partner
neutral and clinical; no value judgment about skill
- lover
more romantic; implies an emotional relationship, not just sexual skill
- bed partner
also informal, but less common and slightly less crude than 'lay'
文法句型
a/an [adjective] + lay
the [superlative] + lay
用法筆記
Almost always used after an adjective (good, great, easy, best). This sense is very informal and can be offensive — avoid in polite or professional conversation.
常見錯誤
lay — adjective
- laypositive
- layercomparative
- layestsuperlative
1. describes someone who is not specially trained or deeply informed about a partic
describes someone who is not specially trained or deeply informed about a particular field of activity
The financial report used many difficult terms that a lay reader could not understand.
lay + noun (reader/audience/public) for non-experts
Walid, a lay person with no medical training, asked a friend to check his essay.
This guide to computer programming is written for a lay audience, not for professional developers.
As a lay person in economics, Ayana found the budget discussion completely confusing.
The scientist tried to explain her discovery in plain language for the lay public.
- non-expert
more direct and commonly used in everyday speech; 'lay' is slightly more formal
- amateur
suggests someone does something for enjoyment rather than money; 'lay' focuses on lack of training, not payment
- untrained
emphasises the absence of formal instruction rather than general knowledge
- professional
the direct opposite in terms of training and qualifications
- expert
contrasts with 'lay' in terms of depth of knowledge
文法句型
lay + noun (person/reader/audience/public)
用法筆記
Always placed before a noun — cannot be used after a linking verb (✗ 'He is lay'). The noun it modifies is usually a person or a group of people: lay person, lay reader, lay audience, lay public.
常見錯誤
2. relating to a member of a religious community who serves the organisation withou
relating to a member of a religious community who serves the organisation without being an officially ordained priest, minister, or paid church employee
The church hired Dahlia as a lay worker to run the food bank.
collocation: lay worker
Christopher trained for two years before becoming a lay preacher at his local church.
collocation: lay preacher
Lay members of the church help serve meals at the shelter every Saturday morning.
A lay minister from the next town led Sunday service when the priest was away.
Several lay volunteers clean and organise the church building at the weekend.
- non-clerical
more formal and technical; 'lay' is the everyday term in religious communities
- non-ordained
specifically means not having received holy orders; narrower than 'lay'
- laity (collective noun)
refers to lay people as a group rather than describing an individual's position
文法句型
lay + noun (minister/preacher/leader/member/worker)
用法筆記
Always placed before a noun. Commonly pairs with church-related roles (lay minister, lay preacher, lay leader, lay worker). The opposite role is 'ordained' or 'clerical'. Not used outside a religious context.