- OE. leggen, AS. lecgan, causative, fr. licgan to lie; akin to D. leggen, G. legen, Icel. leggja, Goth. lagjan. See Lie to be prostrate
- To cause to lie down, to be prostrate, or to lie against something; to put or set down; to deposit; as, to lay a book on the table; to lay a body in the grave; a shower lays the dust.A stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den.Soft on the flowery herb I found me laid.
- To place in position; to establish firmly; to arrange with regularity; to dispose in ranks or tiers; as, to lay a corner stone; to lay bricks in a wall; to lay the covers on a table.
- To prepare; to make ready; to contrive; to provide; as, to lay a snare, an ambush, or a plan.
- To spread on a surface; as, to lay plaster or paint.
- To cause to be still; to calm; to allay; to suppress; to exorcise, as an evil spirit.After a tempest when the winds are laid.
- To cause to lie dead or dying.Brave Cæneus laid Ortygius on the plain, The victor Cæneus was by Turnus slain.
- To deposit, as a wager; to stake; to risk.I dare lay mine honor He will remain so.
- To bring forth and deposit; as, to lay eggs.
- To apply; to put.She layeth her hands to the spindle.
- To impose, as a burden, suffering, or punishment; to assess, as a tax; as, to lay a tax on land.The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
- To impute; to charge; to allege.God layeth not folly to them.Lay the fault on us.
- To impose, as a command or a duty; as, to lay commands on one.
- To present or offer; as, to lay an indictment in a particular county; to lay a scheme before one.
- LawTo state; to allege; as, to lay the venue.
- MilTo point; to aim; as, to lay a gun.
- Rope MakingTo put the strands of (a rope, a cable, etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them; as, to lay a cable or rope.
- PrintTo place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone.To place (new type) properly in the cases.See Putv. t., and the Note under 4th Lie.
