lay down

verb

Definition of lay downnext
1
as in to enact
to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action the city council promises to lay down new ordinances that will force dog walkers to clean up after their animals

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2
as in to declare
to state clearly and strongly at the risk of their popularity, the parents laid down the rules for the party and wouldn't accept any arguments

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3
as in to specify
to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly the supervisor laid down the procedure for a complaint of sexual harassment

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4
as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress commanded the surrounded troops to lay down their weapons

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lay down Licensed installers remove old flooring, prep the subfloor and lay down your new floors. — Sharon Wu, USA Today, 17 July 2026 On Friday, Fanara’s daughter Michelle Fanara said, her father was working on a project at a neighboring property, stepped inside Palermo, lay down to rest and did not get up. — Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026 Maria put on a mask against the putrid smell and lay down on the ground. — Philip Wang, Time, 29 June 2026 First, a spider would lay down an anchor point on a surface where green tree ants were likely to forage, before attaching it to a tension line connecting back to the main web. — Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lay down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay down
  1. enact
  2. declare
  3. specify
  4. relinquish
  5. pass
  6. assert
  7. define
  8. render
Verb
  • The change was enacted in the state budget bill and took effect July 1.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Americans kept lighting up, though, even after draconian federal and state anti-drug laws were enacted during the 1990s.
    — Bob Woods, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of enact
Verb
  • The outbreak has gained momentum since it was declared on May 15, as weak health infrastructure, community resistance and instability hinder the effort to identify and respond to cases.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The province's governor declared a 14-day state of emergency on Sunday.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of declare
Verb
  • After years of fraught negotiations between the states failed to yield a deal, federal authorities have stepped in and are expected to publish a plan in the coming days specifying the exact reductions required of states through 2028.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Buyers can also specify a Touring Pack with bespoke luggage designed to make use of the available cargo space.
    — Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of specify
Verb
  • The defending World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers may have to relinquish their title to the surging Atlanta Braves.
    — Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The big headline coming out of Santa Clara was Kyle Shanahan’s July car accident and the resulting head injury that’s forced him to relinquish head coaching duties until he’s fully cleared from concussion symptoms.
    — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of relinquish
Verb
  • The ban has been in place long enough that an entire cohort of girls has passed through adolescence without stepping foot in a secondary school classroom.
    — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Still, there was always the latent threat that someday, even in the distant future, the broader mass of American citizenry would elect politicians and pass policies to explicitly target the oligarchs’ assets.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of pass
Verb
  • But at least one Lake Worth Beach city commissioner asserted involvement of local authorities in immigration enforcement is a bad idea.
    — David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The defendant’s lawyers disputed that argument, asserting the evidence doesn’t prove Robinson’s motivation was connected to Kirk’s political or religious beliefs.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of assert
Verb
  • The idea that government, which has been defined as incompetent and inefficient for decades, could provide grocery abundance and variety better than Walmart and Costco has triggered a visceral reaction among critics.
    — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Fierezza, for example, is defined by contrasts between pink peppercorn, incense, and marine notes.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of define
Verb
  • The tactic has rendered many towns and villages uninhabitable.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Attorney General's report said Officer Hadel requested emergency medical services (EMS) and rendered medical aid to Brown until EMS arrived to transport him to the hospital.
    — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of render

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lay by
lay down
layer
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Cite this Entry

“Lay down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20down. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of lay down for Spanish Speakers

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