lay /lei/ (laid /leid/, laid; laying) vt. & vi. 1. 放，搁，摆：lay a knife on the dish 把刀放在盘子上 2. 安排，布置；安置：lay the table摆餐桌 3.下(蛋)，产(卵)：Hens lay eggs. 鸡生蛋。The old hen will not lay. 老母鸡不下蛋。 4. 砌，铺：lay bricks 砌砖；lay a railway (cable) 铺设铁路(海底电线) 5. 构成短语动词 lay aside 1.把…搁置一旁；存储：lay the problem aside for a while 把那问题搁置一边暂不处理；lay a little aside for one’s old age 存一点过晚年  lay...bare 揭露：Their diplomatic principles completely laid bare their ambition for world conquest. 他们的外交政策使他们征服世界的野心暴露无疑。lay claim to 声称拥有：Two companies have laid claim to the design.两家公司声称拥有这个设计的专利。lay down 放手；规定： lay down one’s arms 放下武器  Follow the procedure laid down in our booklet.按我们在小册子里规定的程序办。 lay off 停止（做）；(临时性)解雇：have to lay people off again 不得不再次临时解雇一些人 My doctor advised me to lay off caffeine.大夫建议我停止喝咖啡。Lay off me!(=stop bothering me)停止干扰我。［考句］The store had to lay off a number of clerks because sales were down.因为销售额下降，商店不得不裁员。lay on（给大家）提供：We’ll be laying on a coach from the airport to the hotel for all the guests.从机场到旅馆我们向旅客提供搭乘车辆。lay out 安排；展开the neatly laid-out flower-beds 精心设计的花圃；Lay them out for our selection. 把它们铺开让我们挑。lay over（因转机/车）停下来休息：We have to lay over in Los Angeles on our way to New Zealand.在飞往新西兰的途中我们必须在洛杉矶停下来转机。lay up被迫卧床：She’s been laid up with the flu for a week.由于感冒她被迫卧床一周。