lay down

phrasal-verb
UK: /ˌleɪ ˈdaʊn/
US: /ˌleɪ ˈdaʊn/

  1. To put something or someone down gently.

    1. Lay down the baby, she is sleeping now. [ ] [ ]
    2. He had to lay down his tools as the work was too difficult for him to handle. [ ] [ ]

  2. To state or establish a rule or principle clearly and firmly.

    1. The teacher will lay down some rules. [ ] [ ]
    2. The contract lays down specific conditions for project completion before payment. [ ] [ ]

  3. To sacrifice or give up something, especially your life.

    1. I'd lay down my life for you. [ ] [ ]
    2. He was willing to lay down his career for the sake of his family's well-being. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

stipulate recline specify submit establish sacrifice rest
lay down intransitive-verb

  1. To lie down; to assume a reclining position.

    1. I need to lay down now. [ ] [ ]
    2. After a long day at work, I just want to lay down and rest for a while. [ ] [ ]
lay down transitive-verb

  1. To place something on a surface.

    1. Lay down your book. [ ] [ ]
    2. Carefully lay down the painting on the table before you leave the house. [ ] [ ]

  2. To produce or apply something such as paint or a coat.

    1. Lay down a base coat first. [ ] [ ]
    2. The workers lay down a fresh layer of asphalt to repair the damaged road. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "lay down" in English means: To put something or someone down gently., To state or establish a rule or principle clearly and firmly., To sacrifice or give up something, especially your life..

The phonetic transcription of "lay down" is /ˌleɪ ˈdaʊn/ in British English and /ˌleɪ ˈdaʊn/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "lay down": stipulate, recline, specify, submit, establish, sacrifice, rest.

Example usage of "lay down": "Lay down the baby, she is sleeping now.". More examples on the page.