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 …

lay verb (PUT DOWN) Add to word list C1 [ T usually + adv/prep ] to put something in especially a flat or horizontal position, usually carefully or for a particular purpose:

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

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. For example, if you lay the blame for a mistake on someone, you say it is their fault, or if the police lay …

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 …

Aug 24, 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)”.

To lay is to set something down or put it in a horizontal position. It can also mean to position or prepare something for action — or simply to lay eggs.

What to Know Lay means "to place something down flat," while lie means "to be in a flat position on a surface." The key difference is that lay is transitive and requires an object to act upon, …

The way or position in which something is situated or arranged. The lay of the land.