lay
/leɪ/ noun C2- Arrangement or relationship; layout. · the lay of the land
- A share of the profits in a business. · While the Pequod lay at Nantucket, Peleg put Ishmael down for the three hundredth lay.
- The direction a rope is twisted. · Worm and parcel with the lay; turn and serve the other way.
- A casual sexual partner. · What was I, just another lay you can toss aside as you go on to your next conquest?
- An act of sexual intercourse.
- The laying of eggs. · The hens are off the lay at present.
Plural lays
Phrasal verbs and expressions
- lay about To strike blows in all directions.
- lay aside To reserve (something, especially money) for future use; ...
- lay away To bury (someone).
- lay back To lie down on one's back; to lie back.
- lay by To put away for future use; save; to build up as savings.
- lay down To give up, surrender, or yield (e.g. a weapon), usually ...
- lay in To put (something) aside for future use.
- lay into To beat up or launch an attack against; to strike forcefu...
- lay off (of an employer) To dismiss (workers) from employment, e....
- lay on To provide (food or drinks) for free.
- lay out To expend or contribute money to an expense or purchase.
- lay over To make an intermediary stop somewhere.
From the library
The Tin Woodman lay down on his bed from force of habit, for he remembered when he was made of flesh; but not being able to sleep, he passed the night moving his joints up and down to make sure they kept in good working order.
“Take out my straw and scatter it over the little girl and the dog and the Lion,” he said to the Woodman, “and the bees cannot sting them.” This the Woodman did, and as Dorothy lay close beside the Lion and held Toto in her arms, the straw covered them entirely.
And as bees cannot live when their stings are broken that was the end of the black bees, and they lay scattered thick about the Woodman, like little heaps of fine coal.
A Lion lay in ambush in the hope of making them his prey, but was afraid to attack them while they kept together.
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