Meaning of lay | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Arrangement or relationship; layout.
   countable, uncountable
2. A lake.
3. A ballad or sung poem; a short poem or narrative, usually intended to be sung.
4. A meadow; a lea.
   obsolete
5. A river in western France.
6. A law.
   obsolete
7. A share of the profits in a business.
   countable, uncountable
8. A lyrical, narrative poem written in octosyllabic couplets that often deals with tales of adventure and romance.
9. A surname.
10. An obligation; a vow.
    obsolete
11. The direction a rope is twisted.
    countable, uncountable
12. A casual sexual partner.
    colloquial, countable, uncountable
13. An act of sexual intercourse.
    colloquial, countable, uncountable
14. A place or activity where someone spends a significant portion of their time.
    archaic, countable, slang, uncountable
15. The laying of eggs.
    countable, uncountable
16. A layer.
    countable, obsolete, uncountable
17. A basis or ground.
    countable, obsolete, uncountable
18. A pursuit or practice; a dodge.
    countable, obsolete, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“He spoke of a flower or tree in each of the fifteen poems. A simple shape, a color, the design of a hedge, the lay of a limb inspired him in these songs to and about his loves.”

“the lay of the land”

“While the Pequod lay at Nantucket, Peleg put Ishmael down for the three hundredth lay.”

“I was already aware that in the whaling business they paid no wages; but all hands, including the captain, received certain shares of the profits called lays, and that these lays were proportioned to the degree of importance pertaining to the respective duties of the ship’s company.”

“Worm and parcel with the lay; turn and serve the other way.”

“Over the years she'd tried to tell himself that his uptown girl was just another lay.”

“To find a place like that and be discreet about it, Jones figured he needed help, so he went to see his favorite lay, Juan Carillo's woman, Carmen.”

““Because I don't want William to be just another lay. I did the slut thing, T, and it got me into a lot of trouble years ago. […]”

“What was I, just another lay you can toss aside as you go on to your next conquest?”

“Listening to this dismissal of his work, [Tennessee] Williams thought to himself of Wilder, “This character has never had a good lay.””

“Does his make-up in his room Douse himself with cheap perfume Eyeholes in a paper bag Greatest lay I ever had”

“[…] She didn't become this germ freak until Thomas died. I wonder if she just needs a good lay, you know, an all-nighter?" Toots said thoughtfully.”

““What she needs is a good lay. If she had someone to rock her world on a regular basis, she wouldn't be such a raging bit—””

“I shall be on that lay nae mair”

“Since our people have moved this boy on, and he's not to be found on his old lay”

“"Well, you see, son," Kitcell had explained to Wilbur, "os-ten-siblee we are after shark-liver oil— and so we are; but also we are on any lay that turns up; ready for any game, from wrecking to barratry.”

“The hens are off the lay at present.”

“[…] lay in the bottom of an earthen pot some dried vine leaves, and so make a lay of Pears, and leaves till the pot is filled up, laying betwixt each lay some sliced Ginger […]”

“[…] the whole Body of the Church is chequer’d with different Lays of White and Black Marble […]”

“[…] when we examine the Scarf-Skin with a Microscope, it appears to be made up of several Lays of exceeding small Scales, which cover one another more or less […]”

“1766, Thomas Amory, The Life of John Buncle, Esq., London: J. Johnson and B. Davenport, Volume 2, Section 1, p. 16, footnote 1, […] in one particular it exceeds the fen birds, for it has two tastes; it being brown and white meat: under a lay of brown is a lay of white meat […]”

“On this lay or ground we should also add the finishing colours.”

“In the first MacColl patent the pattern chain and engaging rod were carried on the swinging lay on which the needle bars are mounted.”

“FIDLAM BENS. Thieves who have no particular lay, whose every finger is a fish-hook; fellows that will steal any thing they can remove.”

“Because I've finished, missus. Finished with the thieving lay now and forever.”

“I strive, with wakeful melody, to cheer The sullen gloom, sweet Philomel! like thee, And call the stars to listen: every star Is deaf to mine, enamour'd of thy lay.”

“If these brief lays, of Sorrow born, ⁠Were taken to be such as closed ⁠Grave doubts and answers here proposed, Then these were such as men might scorn: […]”

“1925 The Lay of Leithien, poem by J.R.R. Tolkien, Anglo-Saxon Professor.”

“1945: "The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun" by JRR Tolkien Sad is the note and sad the lay, but mirth we meet not every day.”

“Having destroyed all old lays, I have no other hay than clover.”

“A woman worthy of immortall prayse, / Which for this Realme found many goodly layes”

“they bound themselues by a sacred lay and oth to fight it out to the last man”

CEFR level