lay down

lay down

verb

Definition of LAY 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

Examples of LAY DOWN

1. <the city council promises to lay down new ordinances that will force dog walkers to clean up after their animals>
2. <at the risk of their popularity, the parents laid down the rules for the party and wouldn't accept any arguments>

First Known Use of LAY DOWN

13th century

Related to LAY DOWN

Synonyms

constitute, enact, legislate, make, ordain, pass

Antonyms

repeal, rescind, revoke

Related Words

reenact, repass; bring about, effect; allow, authorize, permit, sanction; decree, dictate, proclaim; administer, execute; approve, confirm, ratify

Near Antonyms

abolish, abrogate, annul, cancel, invalidate, kill, nullify; overturn, reverse, void

Rhymes with LAY DOWN

back down, Baytown, bear down, blowdown, boil down, boomtown, breakdown, break down, Bridgetown, bringdown, bring down, call down, Cape Town, cast down, Charlestown, clampdown, clamp down, climb down, closedown, comedown, come down, cooldown, countdown, count down, count noun, cow town, crackdown, crack down, crosstown, cry down, cut down, downtown, drawdown, draw down, dress down, drop-down, dumb down, embrown, facedown, fall down, first down, Freetown, Georgetown, George Town, get down, ghost town, godown, go down, half crown, hand down, hands-down, hoedown, hold down, hometown, hull down, Jamestown, keep down, knockdown, knock down, letdown, let down, lie down, live down, lockdown, look down, lowdown, markdown, mark down, mass noun, meltdown, melt down, midtown, new town, nightgown, North Down, nut-brown, pastedown, pat down, pay down, phase down, pipe down, play down, plunk down, pronoun, pull-down, pull down, pushdown, put-down, renown, rubdown, rundown, scale-down, set down, shakedown, shake down, shire town, shoot down, showdown, shutdown, shut down, sit-down, slap down, slowdown, Southdown, splashdown, splash down, stand-down, stare down, step-down, stop down, strike down, stripped-down, sundown, swansdown, take down, talk down, tank town, tea gown, tear down, throw down, thumbs-down, tie-down, top-down, touchdown, touch down, trade down, turndown, turn down, uncrown, uptown, Von Braun, wash down, wear down, weigh down, wet down, wind down, write-down, write down, Youngstown