The automobile factory laid five hundred people off from work.
•They laid off a lot of people.
•We knew they were going to lay a lot of people off.
Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.
lay — lay1 [ leı ] (past tense and past participle laid [ leıd ] ) verb *** ▸ 1 put down flat/carefully ▸ 2 push egg from body ▸ 3 plan and prepare ▸ 4 lie ▸ 5 prepare table for meal ▸ + PHRASES 1. ) transitive lay on/in/across/against to put something … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
lay — 1 /leI/ verb the past tense of lie 1 2 verb past tense and past participle laid 1 PUT SB/STH DOWN (transitive always + adv/prep) to put someone or something down carefully into a flat position: lay sth in/on/under etc: Laying my coat carefully on … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
lay — lay1 verb (past and past participle laid) 1》 put down, especially gently or carefully. 2》 put down and set in position for use. ↘Brit. set cutlery on (a table) in preparation for a meal. ↘put the material for (a fire) in place.… … English new terms dictionary
lay — I UK [leɪ] / US verb Word forms lay : present tense I/you/we/they lay he/she/it lays present participle laying past tense laid UK [leɪd] / US past participle laid *** Collocations: Lay means to put something in a particular place or position: I… … English dictionary
lay — lay1 W2S1 [leı] v the past tense of ↑lie 1 lay 2 lay2 v past tense and past participle laid [leıd] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(put somebody/something down)¦ 2 lay bricks/carpet/concrete/cables etc 3¦(bird/insect etc)¦ 4¦(table)¦ 5 lay the foundations/ … Dictionary of contemporary English
lay — I. /leɪ / (say lay) verb (laid, laying) –verb (t) 1. to put or place in a position of rest or recumbency: to lay a book on a desk. 2. to bring, throw, or beat down, as from an erect position: to lay a person low. 3. to cause to subside: to lay… …
lay*/*/*/ — [leɪ] (past tense and past participle laid [leɪd] ) verb [T] I 1) to put someone or something down in a careful way, especially so that they are lying flat Lay the baby on her back.[/ex] He laid his coat across the arm of the chair.[/ex] 2) if a… … Dictionary for writing and speaking English
lay — lay1 [lā] vt. laid, laying [ME leyen, new formation < 3d pers. sing. of earlier leggen < OE lecgan, lit., to make lie (akin to Goth lagjan, Ger legen) < pt. base of OE licgan, to LIE1] 1. to cause to come down or fall with force; knock… … English World dictionary
shut off — verb 1. stem the flow of (Freq. 1) shut off the gas when you leave for a vacation • Syn: ↑close off • Hypernyms: ↑discontinue, ↑stop, ↑cease, ↑give up, ↑ … Useful english dictionary
lay — I [[t]leɪ[/t]] v. laid, lay•ing, n. 1) to put or place in a horizontal position or position of rest; set down: to lay a book on a desk[/ex] 2) to knock or beat down, as from an erect position; strike or throw to the ground: One punch laid him… … From formal English to slang
lay — lay1 /lay/, v., laid, laying, n. v.t. 1. to put or place in a horizontal position or position of rest; set down: to lay a book on a desk. 2. to knock or beat down, as from an erect position; strike or throw to the ground: One punch laid him low.… … Universalium
