lay out

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   To expend or contribute money to an expense or purchase.

   • She laid out hundreds of dollars to throw a great party.
   • […] you must endeavour to take off your Mistress from all the care you can, giving to her a just and true account of what moneys you lay out for her, shewing your self thrifty in all your disbursements.
   • There are but two ways of paying debt: increase of industry in raising income, increase of thrift in laying it out.
2. 2

   To arrange (physically) in a certain way, so as to spread or space apart

   To arrange (physically) in a certain way, so as to spread or space apart; to display (e.g. merchandise or a collection).

   • She laid the blocks out in a circle on the floor.
   • She laid out a terrific spread for the party.
   • Crossing stations on single lines are laid out so that one line has a straight run through, and is signalled in each direction, avoiding the need to slow down to take the turnout into the loop.
3. 3

   To explain

   To explain; to interpret.

   • Let me lay it out for you: you're not going to get a better opportunity than this one.
   • Because his opinions are all over the place, they find it easy to scrutinise them and lay them out […]
4. ›+ 6 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      To arrange

      To arrange; to design; to concoct; to think up.

      • He began to lay out the hull for an inexpensive but fast littoral drone.
      • She began to lay out how the circuits would be connected.
   2. 5

      To prepare a body for burial.

      • They laid him out beautifully on a bier draped in satin.
      • The family was alone in the parlour with the great polished box. William, when laid out, was six feet four inches long. Like a monument lay the bright brown, ponderous coffin.
   3. 6

      To render (someone) unconscious

      To render (someone) unconscious; to knock out; to cause to fall to the floor; to kill.

      • I laid him out on the sidewalk after he tried to grab me.
      • Was it possible that this responsible mill employee had been laid out and doped and was now existing in a mentally inert state by which he became an unconscious tool in the hands of those who had the key to his position?
   4. 7

      To scold or berate.

      • She really laid him out for taking the money and then lying to try to cover it up.
   5. 8

      To cease playing one's instrument.

      • Hey man can you lay out on the bridge?
   6. 9

      To sunbathe.

      • It's been raining so much all week that I haven't had a chance to lay out.

The neighborhood