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The Collaborative International Dictionary
To lay about one

Lay \Lay\, v. i.

  1. To produce and deposit eggs.

  2. (Naut.) To take a position; to come or go; as, to lay forward; to lay aloft.

  3. 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.