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

• enact
• 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

Fermin laid down his fifth bunt hit of the season in yesterday’s third inning. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025

Carlos Narvaez laid down his first career sacrifice bunt to move the men into scoring position, and Abreu brought Story home from third with a sacrifice fly, tying the game at 1-1. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 2 Aug. 2025

One video shows Ben, 41, laying down on a table as Erin's brother, Clark Rasberry — a doctor of physical therapy at Optimal Performance PT — works on Ben’s ankle using a StemWave machine. —Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 29 July 2025

But even with all of the above Taiwan would not lay down and accept violence. —Kerry Brown, Time, 29 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for lay down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

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