English Explanatory Dictionary

lay down

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To give up, surrender, or yield (e.g. a weapon), usually by placing it on the ground.
  2. To place on the ground, e.g. a railway on a trackbed.
  3. To intentionally take a fall while riding a motorcycle, in order to prevent a more serious collision.
  4. To specify, institute, enact, assert firmly, state authoritatively, establish or formulate (rules or policies).
  5. To stock, store (e.g. wine) for the future. See also lay by.
  6. To kill (someone).
  7. To euthanize an animal.
  8. To sacrifice, especially in the phrase "to lay down one's life."
  9. To lie down.
  10. To draw the lines of a ship's hull at full size, before starting a build.
  11. To place a sheet in a printing press for printing.
verb
  1. simple past of lie down

Pronunciation

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-lay down.wav

Word forms

lay down lays down laying down laid down

Etymology

From Middle English leyen doun, leien doun (“to lay down”), equivalent to lay + down.

Derived words

lay down one's arms lay down one's flag lay down one's life lay down one's weapons lay down the law lay down the marker

Translations

Cherokee: ᎠᏗᎠ Finnish: luovuttaa Finnish: laskea Galician: depor Galician: depoñer Portuguese: desistir Portuguese: recuar Russian: сдава́ться Spanish: soltar
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