Lay has been used intransitively in the sense of "lie" since the 14th century. The practice was unremarked until around 1770; attempts to correct it have been a fixture of schoolbooks ever …

Grammar Lay or lie? The verb lay means ‘to put something down carefully in a flat position’. It must have an object. It is a regular verb, but note the spelling of the past simple and -ed form: …

Lay definition: to put or place in a horizontal position or position of rest; set down.. See examples of LAY used in a sentence.

1. To give up; abandon: lay aside all hope of rescue. 2. To save for the future: laid aside money for a vacation.

Lay is used with some nouns in expressions about accusing or blaming someone. For example, if you lay the blame for a mistake on someone, you say it is their fault, or if the police lay …

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

The past tense of lie is lay, but not because there is any overlap between the two verbs. So when you say, “I lay down for a nap,” you’re actually using the verb lie, not lay, despite the way it …

Oct 20, 2025 · 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)”.

1. To give up; abandon: lay aside all hope of rescue. 2. To save for the future: laid aside money for a vacation.

Definition of lay. English dictionary and integrated thesaurus for learners, writers, teachers, and students with advanced, intermediate, and beginner levels.