lay aside

phrasal verb

laid aside; laying aside; lays aside

: to place (something) to one side

She laid aside the book she had been reading and turned on the TV.

—often used figuratively

Plans for a new school have been laid aside.

We need to lay our differences aside so that we can learn to work together.

: to keep (something) for special or future use : to reserve or save (something)

She has been able to lay aside a few dollars each week.

Examples of lay aside in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The solo cellist sometimes lays aside the bow to tap strings with a short stick. —

Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 21 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lay aside.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.