lay to

verb

laid to; laying to; lays to

intransitive verb

: lie to

transitive verb

: to bring (a ship) into the wind and hold stationary

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of lay to was in 1796

Rhymes for lay to

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Browse Nearby Words

lay the groundwork/foundation
lay to
Layton
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Cite this Entry

“Lay to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lay%20to. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

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