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

• constitute
• enact
• legislate
• make
• ordain
• 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

Meanwhile, its dense bristles pick up and lay down makeup products with ease. —Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2025

Horizon Prep added three new tennis courts for a total of six, with the new surface coating ready to be laid down in the coming days. —Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2025

Your healthcare provider can lay down a pad for comfort and swab away excess blood before collecting the sample. —Khadeja Haye, Verywell Health, 19 Mar. 2025

Though some of the Supreme Court justices have raised concerns about such injunctions, the court has declined previous opportunities to lay down firm rules over if they are permitted. —Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 13 Mar. 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