Arrangement or relationship; layout.
the lay of the land
A share of the profits in a business.
A lyrical, narrative poem written in octosyllabic couplets that often deals with tales of adventure and romance.
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.
A plan; a scheme.
(uncountable) the laying of eggs.
The hens are off the lay at present.
A layer.
To place down in a position of rest, or in a horizontal position.
A shower of rain lays the dust.
To cause to subside or abate.
To prepare (a plan, project etc.); to set out, establish (a law, principle).
To install certain building materials, laying one thing on top of another.
lay brick; lay flooring
To produce and deposit an egg.
Did dinosaurs lay their eggs in a nest?
To bet (that something is or is not the case).
I'll lay that he doesn't turn up on Monday.
To deposit (a stake) as a wager; to stake; to risk.
To have sex with.
To take a position; to come or go.
to lay forward; to lay aloft
To state; to allege.
to lay the venue
To point; to aim.
to lay a gun
(ropemaking) To put the strands of (a rope, a cable, etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them.
to lay a cable or rope
To place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone.
To place (new type) properly in the cases.
To apply; to put.
To impose (a burden, punishment, command, tax, etc.).
to lay a tax on land
To impute; to charge; to allege.
To present or offer.
to lay an indictment in a particular county; to lay a scheme before one
A lake.
A ballad or sung poem; a short poem or narrative, usually intended to be sung.
1805 The Lay of the Last Minstrel, Sir Walter Scott.
A meadow; a lea.
A law.
An obligation; a vow.
To don or put on (tefillin (phylacteries)).