What is "lay"

Lathe \Lathe\ (l[=a][th]), n. [OE. lathe a granary; akin to G. lade a chest, Icel. hla[eth]a a storehouse, barn; but cf. also Icel. l["o][eth] a smith's lathe. Senses 2 and 3 are perh. of the same origin as lathe a granary, the original meaning being, a frame to hold something. If so, the word is from an older form of E. lade to load. See Lade to load.]

1. A granary; a barn. [Obs.]
   --Chaucer.

2. (Mach.) A machine for turning, that is, for shaping articles of wood, metal, or other material, by causing them to revolve while acted upon by a cutting tool.

3. The movable swing frame of a loom, carrying the reed for separating the warp threads and beating up the weft; -- called also lay and batten.

   Blanchard lathe, a lathe for turning irregular forms after a given pattern, as lasts, gunstocks, and the like.

   Drill lathe, or Speed lathe, a small lathe which, from its high speed, is adapted for drilling; a hand lathe.

   Engine lathe, a turning lathe in which the cutting tool has an automatic feed; -- used chiefly for turning and boring metals, cutting screws, etc.

   Foot lathe, a lathe which is driven by a treadle worked by the foot.

   Geometric lathe. See under Geometric

   Hand lathe, a lathe operated by hand; a power turning lathe without an automatic feed for the tool.

   Slide lathe, an engine lathe.

   Throw lathe, a small lathe worked by one hand, while the cutting tool is held in the other.

Old English lecgan "to place on the ground (or other surface)," also "put down (often by striking)," from Proto-Germanic *lagjan (cognates: Old Saxon leggian, Old Norse leggja, Old Frisian ledza, Middle Dutch legghan, Dutch leggen, Old High German lecken, German legen, Gothic lagjan "to lay, put, place"), causative of lie (v.2). As a noun, from 1550s, "act of laying." Meaning "way in which something is laid" (as in lay of the land) first recorded 1819.\n

\nMeaning "have sex with" first recorded 1934, in U.S. slang, probably from sense of "deposit" (which was in Old English, as in lay an egg, lay a bet, etc.), perhaps reinforced by to lie with, a phrase frequently met in the Bible. The noun meaning "woman available for sexual intercourse" is attested from 1930, but there are suggestions of it in stage puns from as far back as 1767. To lay for (someone) "await a chance at revenge" is from late 15c.; lay low "stay inconspicuous" is from 1839. To lay (someone) low preserves the secondary Old English sense.

"uneducated; non-clerical," early 14c., from Old French lai "secular, not of the clergy" (Modern French laïque), from Late Latin laicus, from Greek laikos "of the people," from laos "people," of unknown origin. In Middle English, contrasted with learned, a sense revived 1810 for "non-expert."

"short song," mid-13c., from Old French lai "song, lyric," of unknown origin, perhaps from Celtic (compare Irish laid "song, poem," Gaelic laoidh "poem, verse, play") because the earliest verses so called were Arthurian ballads, but OED finds this "out of the question" and prefers a theory which traces it to a Germanic source, such as Old High German leich "play, melody, song."

Etymology 1 vb. (label en transitive) To place down in a position of rest, or in a horizontal position. Etymology 2

n. 1 Arrangement or relationship; layout. 2 A share of the profits in a business. 3 The direction a rope is twisted. 4 (context colloquial English) A casual sexual partner. 5 (context colloquial English) An act of sexual intercourse. 6 (context slang archaic English) A plan; a scheme. Etymology 3

n. A lake. Etymology 4

1. Non-professional; not being a member of an organized institution. Etymology 5

   v

2. 1 (en-simple pastlie) when pertaining to position. 2 (context proscribed English) To be in a horizontal position; to lie (from confusion with lie). Etymology 6

   n. A ballad or sung poem; a short poem or narrative, usually intended to be sung. Etymology 7

   n. (context obsolete English) A meadow; a le

   1. Etymology 8

      n. 1 (context obsolete English) A law. 2 (context obsolete English) An obligation; a vow. Etymology 9

      v

   2. (label en Judaism transitive) To don (gloss: put on) (tefillin (gloss phylactery phylacteries)).

1. adj. concerning those not members of the clergy; "set his collar in laic rather than clerical position"; "the lay ministry"; "the choir sings both sacred and secular music" [syn: laic, secular]

2. not of or from a profession; "a lay opinion as to the cause of the disease"

3. [also: laid]

1. n. a narrative song with a recurrent refrain [syn: ballad]

2. a narrative poem of popular origin [syn: ballad]

3. [also: laid]

1. v. put into a certain place or abstract location; "Put your things here"; "Set the tray down"; "Set the dogs on the scent of the missing children"; "Place emphasis on a certain point" [syn: put, set, place, pose, position]

2. put in a horizontal position; "lay the books on the table"; "lay the patient carefully onto the bed" [syn: put down, repose]

3. prepare or position for action or operation; "lay a fire"; "lay the foundation for a new health care plan"

4. lay eggs; "This hen doesn't lay"

5. impose as a duty, burden, or punishment; "lay a responsibility on someone"

6. [also: laid]

1. n. a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth [syn: prevarication]

2. Norwegian diplomat who was the first Secretary General of the United Nations (1896-1968) [syn: Trygve Lie, Trygve Halvden Lie]

3. position or manner in which something is situated

4. [also: lying, lay, lain]

1. v. be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position

2. be lying, be prostrate; be in a horizontal position; "The sick man lay in bed all day"; "the books are lying on the shelf" [ant: stand, sit]

3. originate (in); "The problems dwell in the social injustices in this country" [syn: dwell, consist, belong, lie in]

4. be and remain in a particular state or condition; "lie dormant"

5. tell an untruth; pretend with intent to deceive; "Don't lie to your parents"; "She lied when she told me she was only 29"

6. have a place in relation to something else; "The fate of Bosnia lies in the hands of the West"; "The responsibility rests with the Allies" [syn: rest]

7. assume a reclining position; "lie down on the bed until you feel better" [syn: lie down] [ant: arise]

8. [also: lying, lay, lain]

1. See lie

2. [also: laid]

Lay may refer to:

The Lay is a long river in the Vendée département, western France. Its source is at Saint-Pierre-du-Chemin. It flows generally southwest. It flows into the Bay of Biscay between La Faute-sur-Mer and L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer, northwest of La Rochelle.

Its main tributaries are the Yon and the Smagne.

Lay is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:

• Alfred Morrison Lay (1836-1879), U.S. politician
• Beirne Lay, Jr. (1909-1982), American author and World War II aviator
• Benjamin Lay (1681-1760), English Quaker and abolitionist
• Carol Lay (born 1952), American author
• Cecil Howard Lay (1885–1956), English poet
• Charles Downing Lay (1877–1956), American landscape architect
• Donald P. Lay (1926–2007), American jurist
• Elzy Lay (1868–1934), U.S. outlaw
• George W. Lay (1798-1860), U.S. politician
• George Tradescant Lay (c. 1800-1845), British naturalist, missionary and diplomat
• Herman Lay (1909–1982), American businessman
• Horatio Nelson Lay (1832–1898), British diplomat
• Humberto Lay (born 25 September 1934), Peruvian evangelical pastor
• Jeffrey Lay (born 1969), Canadian rower
• John Louis Lay (1832–1899), American inventor
• Josh Lay (born 1982), American football player
• Kenneth Lay (1942–2006), U.S. businessman
• Ken Lay (police officer) (born 1956), Australian police commissioner
• Ko Lay (born 31 October 1931), Burmese politician
• Oliver Ingraham Lay (1845-1890), American portrait painter.
• Sam Lay (born 1935), American drummer and vocalist
• Stan Lay (1906–2003), New Zealand track and field athlete
• Susan Lay (born March 13, 1985), English actress, musician, and TV presenter

'''Zhang Yixing ''' (simplified Chinese: 张艺兴; born ), better known as Lay , is a Chinese singer, composer, author, dancer, and actor. He is a member and one of the main dancers of the South Korean-Chinese boy group Exo and its sub-unit Exo-M. He first became known after participating in the Chinese TV talent show Star Academy in 2005. In January 2015, Lay was ranked 5th on Baidu's "2014 Top 10 Most Popular Celebrities" list. In September 2015, he released his autobiography titled Standing Firm at 24, which broke several online book records. In July 2016, Lay was appointed by the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) of Changsha as the publicity ambassador, the first celebrity to hold such title.