lay down

verb

laid down; laying down; lays down

transitive verb

1

: to give up : surrender

lay down your arms

2

a

: establish, prescribe

lay down a scale for a map

b

: to assert or command dogmatically

lay down the law

3

a

: store, preserve

laid down a young wine

b

: record

laying down songs for their new album

4

a

: to direct toward a target

lay down a barrage

b

: to hit along the ground

laid down a sacrifice bunt

intransitive verb

nonstandard : to lie down

Synonyms

• constitute
• enact
• legislate
• make
• ordain
• pass

Examples of lay down in a Sentence

the city council promises to lay down new ordinances that will force dog walkers to clean up after their animals

at the risk of their popularity, the parents laid down the rules for the party and wouldn't accept any arguments

Recent Examples on the Web

Second baseman Michael Massey also contributed, laying down an RBI sacrifice bunt to bring in Blanco. —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 12 May 2024

Writing by hand also improves memory and recall of words, laying down the foundations of literacy and learning. —Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 11 May 2024

Protesters even laid down in front of construction vehicles. —TIME, 9 May 2024

On the ensuing shift, Tkachuk and Pastrnak dropped their gloves near center ice — with Tkachuk laying down a few big right hooks as both tumbled to the ice. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 May 2024

Jayden Thomas pinch ran for Freed and Brayden Smith laid down a perfect bunt along the first-base line. —Glenn Reeves, The Mercury News, 8 May 2024

If a user is already feeling sick, laying down in a dark room with a cool, damp towel over the eyes can help. —Lauren Wellbank, Parents, 8 May 2024

Explore our new section California has laid down mandates to dump diesel trucks and replace them with lower-carbon technologies in increasing numbers until 2035, when sale of new diesel trucks will be banned. —Russ Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2024

And finally, the women of the Palm Royale almost certainly won’t take Maxine’s revealing of their darkest secrets during the Beach Ball laying down, either. —Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Video

Lay vs. Lie

Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.

Kids Definition

lay down

verb

1

: establish sense 1, prescribe

lay down standards

2

: to state or declare forcefully

lay down the law