of lie, to recline.-of or pertaining to the laity, as distinct from the clergy; as, a lay person; a lay preacher; a lay brother.-not educated or cultivated; ignorant.-not belonging to, or emanating from, a particular profession; unprofessional; as, a lay opinion regarding the nature of a disease.-the laity; the common people.-a meadow. see lea.-faith; creed; religious profession.-a law.-an obligation; a vow.-a song; a simple lyrical poem; a ballad.-a melody; any musical utterance.-to cause to lie down, to be prostrate, or to lie against something; to put or set down; to deposit; as, to lay a book on the table; to lay a body in the grave; a shower lays the dust.-to place in position; to establish firmly; to arrange with regularity; to dispose in ranks or tiers; as, to lay a corner stone; to lay bricks in a wall; to lay the covers on a table.-to prepare; to make ready; to contrive; to provide; as, to lay a snare, an ambush, or a plan.-to spread on a surface; as, to lay plaster or paint.-to cause to be still; to calm; to allay; to suppress; to exorcise, as an evil spirit.-to cause to lie dead or dying.-to deposit, as a wager; to stake; to risk.-to bring forth and deposit; as, to lay eggs.-to apply; to put.-to impose, as a burden, suffering, or punishment; to assess, as a tax; as, to lay a tax on land.-to impute; to charge; to allege.-to impose, as a command or a duty; as, to lay commands on one.-to present or offer; as, to lay an indictment in a particular county; to lay a scheme before one.-to state; to allege; as, to lay the venue.-to point; to aim; as, to lay a gun.-to put the strands of (a rope, a cable, etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them; as, to lay a cable or rope.-to place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone.-to place (new type) properly in the cases.-to produce and deposit eggs.-to take a position; to come or go; as, to lay forward; to lay aloft.-to lay a wager; to bet.-that which lies or is laid or is conceived of as having been laid or placed in its position; a row; a stratum; a layer; as, a lay of stone or wood.-a wager.-a job, price, or profit.- a share of the proceeds or profits of an enterprise; as, when a man ships for a whaling voyage, he agrees for a certain lay.-a measure of yarn; a lea. see 1st lea (a).-the lathe of a loom. see lathe, 3.-a plan; a scheme.-of lie