lay
verbVerb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they lay | |
| he / she / it lays | |
| past simple laid | |
| past participle laid | |
| -ing form laying |
- [transitive]
to put somebody/something in a particular position, especially when it is done gently or carefully （尤指轻轻地或小心地）放置，安放，搁 - lay somebody/something + adv./prep.
He laid a hand on my arm. 他把手搭在我的胳膊上。 Relatives laid wreaths on the grave. 死者亲属在墓前献了花圈。 She laid the baby down gently on the bed. 她把婴儿轻轻地放在床上。 Red roses were laid at the memorial. 纪念会上献了红玫瑰。 She noticed some paintings laid against the far wall. 她注意到一些画靠在远处的墙上。 The horse laid back its ears. 那匹马把耳朵往后竖着。 - lay something
His mother visited the murder scene yesterday to lay flowers. 他母亲昨天去谋杀现场献花。 - lay somebody/something + adj.
The cloth should be laid flat. 布应展开平放。
Which Word? lay / lielay / lie- lay has an object and lie does not
- In the past tenses laid (from lay) is often wrongly used for lay or lain (from lie)
- Some people use lay as a noun instead of lie, but this is not considered correct
If you're tired, go and have a lie down. 如果你累了，去躺一会儿。 - Go and have a lay down.
Extra ExamplesHe laid the clothes neatly on his bed. 他把那些衣服整齐地放在床上。 She laid the child tenderly on the bed. 她轻轻地把孩子放在床上。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- carefully
- gently
- neatly
- …
- on
- over
- nicely
- well
- clearly
- …
- lay somebody/something + adv./prep.
- [transitive]
to spread something on something; to cover something with a layer of something （在某物上）摊开，涂，敷；用一层…覆盖 - lay A on/over B
Before they started they laid newspaper on the floor. 他们开始前在地板上铺了报纸。 The grapes were laid to dry on racks. 葡萄被摊放在架子上晾干。 They carefully laid a blanket over the body. 他们小心地把毯子盖在遗体上。 - B is laid with A
The floor was laid with newspaper. 地板上铺了报纸。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- carefully
- gently
- neatly
- …
- on
- over
- nicely
- well
- clearly
- …
- lay A on/over B
- [transitive] lay something (down)
to put something down, especially on the floor, ready to be used 铺，铺放，铺设（尤指在地板上） to lay a carpet/cable/pipe 铺地毯；铺设电缆；铺管道 to lay tiles/bricks 铺瓷砖/砖 The first high-speed track was laid between Paris and Lyons. 第一条高速铁路铺设在巴黎和里昂之间。 Thirteen U-boats left their base to lay mines in British waters. 13艘潜艇离开基地，在英国水域布雷。 The foundations of the house are being laid today. 今天正在给房子打地基。 - (figurative)
A series of short-term goals lays the foundation for long-term success. 一系列短期目标为长期成功奠定基础。 - (figurative)
They had laid the groundwork for future development. 他们为此后的发展奠定了基础。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- carefully
- gently
- neatly
- …
- on
- over
- nicely
- well
- clearly
- …
- [transitive, intransitive] lay (something)
if a bird, an insect, a fish, etc. lays eggs, it produces them from its body （鸟、昆虫、鱼等）下（蛋），产（卵） The cuckoo lays its eggs in other birds' nests. 杜鹃在其他鸟的巢中下蛋。 new-laid eggs 鲜蛋 The hens are not laying well (= not producing many eggs). 母鸡现在不爱下蛋。
- [transitive] lay something (British English)
to arrange knives, forks, plates, etc. on a table ready for a meal 摆放餐具于（准备就餐） to lay the table 摆好餐具准备用餐
- [transitive] lay something + adv./prep.
to present a proposal, some information, etc. to somebody for them to think about and decide on 提出，提交（建议、信息等） - [transitive] lay somebody/something + adv./prep. (formal)
to put somebody/something in a particular position or state, especially a difficult or unpleasant one 使处于特定状态（尤指困境） to lay a responsibility/burden on somebody 把责任／重担加于某人身上 to lay somebody under an obligation to do something 使某人承担做某事的义务 Failing to act now will merely lay the burden on future generations. 现在不采取行动只会给后代带来负担。
- [transitive] lay something + adv./prep.
used with a noun to form a phrase that has the same meaning as the verb related to the noun （与名词连用构成短语，其含义与该名词的相关动词相同） to lay the blame on somebody (= to blame somebody) 归咎于某人 Our teacher lays great stress on good spelling (= stresses it strongly). 我们老师着力强调要拼写正确。
Extra ExamplesShe laid the blame for the crisis at the Prime Minister's door. 她指责首相应为这场危机负责。 He laid stress on the importance of cooperation. 他强调合作的重要性。
- [transitive] lay something
to prepare something in detail 周密准备；筹划；设置 - [transitive, usually passive] lay somebody (slang)
to have sex with somebody 与（某人）性交 - [transitive] lay something
to prepare a fire by arranging wood, sticks or coal （摆好木、柴或煤）生火 - [transitive]
to bet money on something; to place a bet 对…下赌金；下赌注 - lay something
to lay a bet 下赌注 - lay something on something
She had laid $100 on the favourite. 她在那匹夺标呼声最高的马上下注 100 美元。 I think he’ll come, but I wouldn’t lay money on it. 我想他会来，但我不会打赌。 - lay (somebody) something (that)…
I’ll lay you any money you like (that) he won’t come. 我看他不来了，你愿意赌多少钱我都奉陪。
- lay something
- past tense of lie1
put down/spread放下；展开
eggs卵
table桌子
present proposal提出建议
difficult situation困境
with nouns与名词连用
plan/trap计划；圈套
have sex性交
fire火
bet打赌
Word Originverb Old English lecgan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch leggen and German legen, also to lie.
Idioms Idioms containing lay are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example lay something bare is at bare.