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 about such things have tried to teach the rest of us that a person lies, not lays, down. LAY definition: 1. to put something in especially a flat or horizontal position, usually carefully or for a….

Understanding the Context

Learn more. LAY definition: to put or place in a horizontal position or position of rest; set down. See examples of lay used in a sentence. Lay is used with some nouns in expressions about accusing or blaming someone.

Key Insights

For example, if you lay the blame for a mistake on someone, you say it is their fault, or if the police lay charges against someone, they officially accuse that person of a crime. 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 sounds. 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)”.

Final Thoughts

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