word-vault

{ "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." }