lay

Universal Words verb, adjective, noun-see also LIEv. verb (laid, laid ) put down / spread 1 [usually +adv./prep.] to put sb/sth in a particular position, especially when it is done gently or carefully: [VN] She laid the baby down gently on the bed. * He laid a hand on my arm. * The horse laid back its ears. * Relatives laid wreaths on the grave. * [VN-ADJ] The cloth should be laid flat. HELPNOTE Some speakers confuse this sense of lay with lie, especially in the present and progressive tenses. However, lay has an object and lie does not: She was lying on the beach. * _S_h_e_ _w_a_s_ _l_a_y_i_n_g_ _o_n_ _t_h_e_ _b_e_a_c_h_. * Why don't you lie on the bed? * _W_h_y_ _d_o_n_'_t_ _y_o_u_ _l_a_y_ _o_n_ _t_h_e_ _b_e_d_?_ _I_n_ _t_h_e_ _p_a_s_t_ _t_e_n_s_e_s_ laid (from lay) is often wrongly used for lay or lain (from lie): She had lain there all night. * _S_h_e_ _h_a_d_ _l_a_i_d_ _t_h_e_r_e_ _a_l_l_ _n_i_g_h_t_. 2 [VN] ~ sth (down) to put sth down, especially on the floor, ready to be used: to lay a carpet / cable / pipe * The foundations of the house are being laid today. * (figurative) They had laid the groundwork for future development. 3 [VN] ~ A (on / over B)