From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishlay something ↔ down phrasal verb1 officially stateSAY/STATE to officially state something or say that rules, principles etc must be obeyed He had already clearly laid down his view in his opening speech.lay down that The contract laid down that the work must be completed before 2025.2 weaponsHORIZONTAL if people lay down their weapons, they stop fighting The terrorists were urged to lay down their arms.3 lay down the lawTELL/ORDER somebody TO DO something to tell other people what to do, how they should think etc, in a very strong or impolite way I could hear him laying down the law.4 lay down your life formalDIE to die in order to help other peoplelay down your life for He was even prepared to lay down his life for his friends.5 keepKEEP/STORE to store something, especially wine, to use in the future6 record to record your music, for example in a recording studio They are just about to start laying down tracks for their second album. → lay→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
lay down• At the approach to the bridge I take off my burdens and lay them down.• When she had finished, she put the top on the pen and laid it down.• He laid her down and splashed water on her face.• Then I laid the album down in its center and wrapped it in the white cloth.• Jimmy had laid the girl down on the rough floor.• Yolanda closes her eyes and lays her head down on the wheel, then glances over at Jose.• There they gently laid it down on top of the so-centimetre mark at the middle of the tape measure.• He lay back down, tried to sleep.lay down ... arms• How could Kadyrov force my commanders to lay down their arms?• In April they will have to lay down their arms.• Must we show our willingness to negotiate the non-negotiable and lay down our arms?• Several observers remarked that the band looked more like a victorious army than like one laying down its arms.• Sfeir threatened - for the second time in a month - to excommunicate those refusing to lay down their arms.• The only thing I can say is for them to lay down their arms and stop it right now.• The State Council gave the armed groups an ultimatum to lay down their arms by March 30 and to open transport routes.• The Confederates laid down their arms that afternoon.lay down the law• By eleven o'clock I was standing in front of Patterson's desk laying down the law.• Ron, too, was laying down the law.• She would lay down the laws.• MacFarland said I would do well in his class and laid down the law about doing well in the others.• It is unfortunate that Mrs Gardner's thoroughness did not extend to laying down the law about insurance.• They made a move for the piano, but we laid down the law and soon redirected their energy to sightseeing.• Well, there was nothing for it, I had to lay down the law in no uncertain terms.• If Bob starts laying down the law, just tell him to shut up.• Parents need to lay down the law regarding how much TV their children watch.• Steadily I disappointed Paquita, who believed it was my job to lay down the law with Clarisa.lay down your life• He considered it a privilege to lay down his life for his country.• I would lay down my life for it.• They had true grievances to settle and were ready to lay down their lives for vengeance.• He remembered the words of Izz Huett: She would have laid down her life for you. 