The Collaborative International Dictionary
To lay about one
Lay \Lay\, v. i.
To produce and deposit eggs.
(Naut.) To take a position; to come or go; as, to lay forward; to lay aloft.
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To lay a wager; to bet.
To lay about, or To lay about one, to strike vigorously in all directions.
--J. H. Newman.To lay at, to strike or strike at.
--Spenser.To lay for, to prepare to capture or assault; to lay wait for. [Colloq.]
--Bp Hall.To lay in for, to make overtures for; to engage or secure the possession of. [Obs.] ``I have laid in for these.''
--Dryden.To lay on, to strike; to beat; to attack.
--Shak.To lay out, to purpose; to plan; as, he lays out to make a journey.