1. To put something down, often carefully, in a horizontal or flat position: "She laid the files on his desk."

"Please, carefully lay the fabric on the table."

2. To place someone or something in a position of rest: "The mother wanted to lay the baby down for a nap."
3. To bury someone or something in the ground: "They laid him in the family plot at the cemetery."
4. To arrange, to place, or to spread something on, over, or along a surface: "They are laying the carpet in the living room today."

"They said that they would lay the foundation for the new house today."

5. To beat or to strike something down with force: "The wheat was laid flat by the tronado winds."
6. To prepare a table for a meal by setting out the required items: "The waiter was about to lay the table for lunch."
7. To impose something; such as, a burden, duty, or penalty: "The government will lay a tariff on imported products."
8. To impute or to attribute something: "He laid the blame on his wife."
9. To use something to bring about a desired outcome: "The professor laid emphasis on the fact that the students must study if they want to excel."
10. To devise, organize, or prepare something: "He was about to lay a trap."
11. To produce or to deposit eggs: "The hens have been laying eggs today."

Conjugation Forms for the Indicative Mood of the Verb to lay

• Present Tense, Singular (s) and Plural (pl):
  I lay (s), We lay (pl)
  You lay (s), You lay (pl)
  He, She, It lays (s); They lay (pl)


• Past Tense, Singular (s) and Plural (pl):
  I laid (s), We laid (pl)
  You laid (s), You laid (pl)
  He, She, It laid (s), They laid (pl)


• Future Tense, Singular (s) and Plural (pl):
  I shall lay (s), We shall lay (pl)
  You will lay (s), You will lay (pl)
  He, She, It will lay (s); They will lay (pl)


• Present Perfect Tense, Singular (s) and Plural (pl):
  I have laid (s), We have laid (pl)
  You have laid (s), You have laid (pl)
  He, She, It has laid (s), They have laid (pl)


• Past Perfect Tense, Singular (s) and Plural (pl):
  I had laid (s), We had laid (pl)
  You had laid (s), You had laid (pl)
  He, She, It had laid (s), They had laid (pl)


• Future Perfect Tense, Singular (s) and Plural (pl):
  I will have laid (s), We will have laid (pl)
  You will have laid (s), You will have laid (pl)
  He, She, It will have laid (s), They will have laid (pl)

1. To recline, to place one’s self in a restful or horizontal position: Mother suggested, "Jesse, lie here on the couch until you feel better."

Tasha lay back on the pillows and watched the TV program; in fact, she lies that way quite often.

2. Something that rests flat on a surface: The book lay open on the desk as Lorena took notes for her class assignment.
3. To be kept or to remain in a specific condition situation: Many homes and businesses are lying in ruins from the destruction caused by the tornadoes during these last days.
4. To see or view something in a specific direction or location: As the group of tourists were standing near the rim of the canyon, they could see the river and other scenic areas that lay below them.