LAY definition: 1. to put something in especially a flat or horizontal position, usually carefully or for a…. Learn more.
Plenty of backpackers and campers, even those who will happily string up a hammock for some lazy afternoon hangs, offer a vehement “no thank you” when presented with the idea of spending the night in ... Lay is often used where lie is considered standard, as in "I'm going to lay down for a quick nap." The use, which dates to the 14th century, troubled no one until the 18th, but since then, people who care about such things have tried to teach the rest of us that a person lies, not lays, down. LAY definition: to put or place in a horizontal position or position of rest; set down. See examples of lay used in a sentence.
lay flat on your back, One is that the form lay was also originally used as both the base form of lay and as the simple past of lie. Another is the use of lay as a reflexive verb meaning “to go lie (down)”. The past tense of lie is lay, but not because there is any overlap between the two verbs. So when you say, “I lay down for a nap,” you’re actually using the verb lie, not lay, despite the way it sounds. Lay is used with some nouns in expressions about accusing or blaming someone.
lay flat on your back, For example, if you lay the blame for a mistake on someone, you say it is their fault, or if the police lay charges against someone, they officially accuse that person of a crime. The verb lay in most of its meanings takes an object, and a general rule to remember is that if the word "put, place,'' can be substituted in a sentence, then lay is the verb to use: Lay (= put, place) the books on the table.
