From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishlay something bare/openlay something bare/opena) to show what something is really like, or stop hiding facts, feelings etc Every aspect of their private life has been laid bare. b) to remove the thing that is covering or hiding something else When the tide goes out, vast stretches of sand are laid bare. → lay
Examples from the Corpus
lay something bare/open• Krushchev laid bare Stalin's crimes.• New bricks were removed, laying bare the old foundations. 