lay

1. Arrangement or relationship; layout.

   the lay of the land

2. A share of the profits in a business.
3. A lyrical, narrative poem written in octosyllabic couplets that often deals with tales of adventure and romance.
4. The direction a rope is twisted.

   Worm and parcel with the lay; turn and serve the other way.

5. A casual sexual partner.

   What was I, just another lay you can toss aside as you go on to your next conquest?

6. An act of sexual intercourse.
7. A plan; a scheme.
8. (uncountable) the laying of eggs.

   The hens are off the lay at present.

9. A layer.

1. To place down in a position of rest, or in a horizontal position.

   A shower of rain lays the dust.

2. To cause to subside or abate.
3. To prepare (a plan, project etc.); to set out, establish (a law, principle).
4. To install certain building materials, laying one thing on top of another.

   lay brick;  lay flooring

5. To produce and deposit an egg.

   Did dinosaurs lay their eggs in a nest?

6. To bet (that something is or is not the case).

   I'll lay that he doesn't turn up on Monday.

7. To deposit (a stake) as a wager; to stake; to risk.
8. To have sex with.
9. To take a position; to come or go.

   to lay forward;  to lay aloft

10. To state; to allege.

    to lay the venue

11. To point; to aim.

    to lay a gun

12. (ropemaking) To put the strands of (a rope, a cable, etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them.

    to lay a cable or rope

13. To place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone.
14. To place (new type) properly in the cases.
15. To apply; to put.
16. To impose (a burden, punishment, command, tax, etc.).

    to lay a tax on land

17. To impute; to charge; to allege.
18. To present or offer.

    to lay an indictment in a particular county;   to lay a scheme before one

noun

A lake.

1. Not belonging to the clergy, but associated with them.

   They seemed more lay than clerical.

2. Non-professional; not being a member of an organized institution.
3. Not educated or cultivated; ignorant.

1. To rest in a horizontal position on a surface.

   The book lies on the table;  the snow lies on the roof;  he lies in his coffin

2. To be placed or situated.
3. To abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition.

   The paper does not lie smooth on the wall.

4. Used with in: to be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place; to consist.
5. Used with with: to have sexual relations with.
6. Used with on/upon: to be incumbent (on); to be the responsibility of a person.
7. To lodge; to sleep.
8. To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest.
9. To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained.

1. A ballad or sung poem; a short poem or narrative, usually intended to be sung.

   1805 The Lay of the Last Minstrel, Sir Walter Scott.

noun

A meadow; a lea.

1. A law.
2. An obligation; a vow.

verb

To don or put on (tefillin (phylacteries)).