{
    "term": "lay",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b1",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "lay",
            "heSheIt": "lays"
        },
        "pastSimple": "laid",
        "pastParticiple": "laid",
        "ingForm": "laying"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to put somebody/something in a particular position, especially when it is done gently or carefully",
            "sensetop": "lay somebody/something + adv./prep.lay somethinglay somebody/something + adj.",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He laid a hand on my arm.",
                    "contextForm": "lay somebody/something + adv./prep."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Relatives **laid wreaths** on the grave."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She laid the baby down gently on the bed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Red roses were laid at the memorial."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She noticed some paintings laid against the far wall."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The horse laid back its ears."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His mother visited the murder scene yesterday to lay flowers.",
                    "contextForm": "lay something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The cloth should be laid flat.",
                    "contextForm": "lay somebody/something + adj."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She laid the clothes neatly on her bed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He laid the child tenderly on the bed."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["nicely", "well", "clearly"],
                "preposition": ["on", "over"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to spread something on something; to cover something with a layer of something",
            "sensetop": "lay A on/over BB is laid with A",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Before they started they laid newspaper on the floor.",
                    "contextForm": "lay A on/over B"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The grapes were laid to dry on racks."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They carefully laid a blanket over the body."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The floor was laid with newspaper.",
                    "contextForm": "B is laid with A"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["nicely", "well", "clearly"],
                "preposition": ["on", "over"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to put something down, especially on the floor, ready to be used",
            "sensetop": "lay something (down)",
            "labels": "(figurative)(figurative)",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to lay a carpet/cable/pipe"
                },
                {
                    "text": "to lay tiles/bricks"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The first high-speed track was laid between Paris and Lyons."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Thirteen U-boats left their base to lay mines in British waters."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The foundations of the house are being laid today."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A series of short-term goals **lays the foundation** for long-term success."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They had **laid the groundwork** for future development."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["nicely", "well", "clearly"],
                "preposition": ["on", "over"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "if a bird, an insect, a fish, etc. lays eggs, it produces them from its body",
            "sensetop": "lay (something)",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The cuckoo **lays** its **eggs** in other birds' nests."
                },
                {
                    "text": "new-laid eggs"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The hens are not laying well *(= not producing many eggs)*."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Birds", "Fish and shellfish", "Insects, worms, etc."]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "to arrange knives, forks, plates, etc. on a table ready for a meal",
            "sensetop": "lay something",
            "labels": "(British English)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to lay the table"
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "set"
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "to present a proposal, some information, etc. to somebody for them to think about and decide on",
            "sensetop": "lay something + adv./prep.",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The bill was laid before Parliament."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "to put somebody/something in a particular position or state, especially a difficult or unpleasant one",
            "sensetop": "lay somebody/something + adv./prep.",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to lay a responsibility/burden on somebody"
                },
                {
                    "text": "to lay somebody under an obligation to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Failing to act now will merely lay the burden on future generations."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "place"
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "used with a noun to form a phrase that has the same meaning as the verb related to the noun",
            "sensetop": "lay something + adv./prep.",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to **lay the blame** on somebody *(= to blame somebody)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Our teacher lays great stress on good spelling *(= stresses it strongly)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She laid the blame for the crisis at the Prime Minister's door."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He laid stress on the importance of cooperation."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 9,
            "definition": "to prepare something in detail",
            "sensetop": "lay something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Little did he know they had laid a trap for him."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She began to **lay her plans** for her escape."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Bad weather can upset even the **best-laid** plans."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 10,
            "definition": "to have sex with somebody",
            "sensetop": "lay somebody",
            "labels": "(slang)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He went out hoping to **get laid** that night."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 11,
            "definition": "to prepare a fire by arranging wood, sticks or coal",
            "sensetop": "lay something",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 12,
            "definition": "to bet money on something; to place a bet",
            "sensetop": "lay somethinglay something on somethinglay (somebody) something (that)…",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to lay a bet",
                    "contextForm": "lay something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She had laid $100 on the favourite.",
                    "contextForm": "lay something on something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I think he’ll come, but I wouldn’t lay money on it."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I’ll lay you any money you like (that) he won’t come.",
                    "contextForm": "lay (somebody) something (that)…"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/leɪ/",
                "audio": "la/lay/lay__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/leɪz/",
                "audio": "la/lay/lays__gb_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/leɪd/",
                "audio": "la/lay/laid__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈleɪɪŋ/",
                "audio": "la/lay/laying__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/leɪ/",
                "audio": "la/lay/lay__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/leɪz/",
                "audio": "la/lay/lays__us_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/leɪd/",
                "audio": "la/lay/laid__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈleɪɪŋ/",
                "audio": "la/lay/laying__us_2.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "verb Old English lecgan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch leggen and German legen, also to lie."
}