1
lay + object + prepositional phrase
及物动词，后接宾语和地点状语，表示将某物平放于某处。
She laid the book on the table.
她把书放在桌子上。
放置，平放
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
放置，平放
to put something down gently or carefully into a flat position
She laid the book on the table.
她把书放在桌子上。
常与宾语连用，如 lay the book on the table。
放置于休息或水平位置
To place down in a position of rest, or in a horizontal position.
通过仪式或祈祷使超自然实体停止作祟；驱魔或驱逐(灵魂或鬼魂)
To compel a supernatural entity to cease haunting a place, often by ritual or prayer; to exorcise or banish (a spirit or ghost).
准备(计划、项目等)；制定、建立(法律、原则)
To prepare (a plan, project etc.); to set out, establish (a law, principle).
安装某些建筑材料,将一物放在另一物上
To install certain building materials, laying one thing on top of another.
lay
Base
原形
lays
3rd person
第三人称单数
laying
-ing
现在分词
laid
Past
过去式
laid
Past participle
过去分词
She lays the book on the table.
她把书放在桌子上。
He laid the carpet yesterday.
他昨天铺了地毯。
The hen has laid six eggs.
母鸡已经下了六个蛋。
They are laying the foundation.
他们正在打地基。
注意与lie区分，过去式为laid。
The hen has laid an egg this morning.
母鸡今天早上下了蛋。
He laid the book gently on the desk.
他轻轻地把书放在书桌上。
She lays the table before every meal.
她每顿饭前都摆好餐具。
及物动词，后接宾语和地点状语，表示将某物平放于某处。
She laid the book on the table.
她把书放在桌子上。
固定搭配，指鸟类、爬行动物等产卵。
The hen laid three eggs this morning.
母鸡今天上午下了三个蛋。
表示将责任、负担等强加于某人。
Don't lay the blame on me.
别把责任推到我身上。
固定短语，指摆放餐具准备就餐。
Please lay the table for dinner.
请摆好桌子准备吃晚饭。
Not this
Please lay down on the sofa.
Use this
Please lie down on the sofa.
lay是及物动词，后面必须跟宾语；表示“躺下”要用不及物动词lie。因此应改为lie down。
Not this
He laid in bed all morning.
Use this
He lay in bed all morning.
lie（躺）的过去式是lay，不是laid；laid是及物动词lay的过去式。表示“躺”的动作时，过去时用lay。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
摆好餐桌
Please help me lay the table for dinner.
请帮我摆好餐桌准备晚饭。
下蛋
The hen laid an egg this morning.
这只母鸡今天早上下了一个蛋。
奠定基础
His early research laid the foundation for modern genetics.
他早期的研究为现代遗传学奠定了基础。
解雇
The company had to lay off 200 workers due to the recession.
由于经济衰退，公司不得不解雇200名工人。
放下；制定
She laid down the book and turned off the light.
她放下书，关掉了灯。
解雇；停止打扰
The company had to lay off 200 workers due to the recession.
由于经济衰退，公司不得不解雇200名工人。
发号施令；定下规矩
My grandfather used to lay down the law at family dinners.
我祖父过去常在家庭晚餐时发号施令。
过分恭维；夸大其词
He really laid it on thick when he said her cooking was the best he'd ever tasted.
他说她做的菜是他吃过的最好吃的，这真是过分恭维了。
我得躺下了。
From the movie Forrest Gump, where Forrest says this while contemplating life and love at Jenny's grave.
出自电影《阿甘正传》，阿甘在珍妮墓前思考人生和爱情时说的话。
人为朋友舍命，人的爱心没有比这个大的。
Biblical verse, John 15:13, often quoted in popular culture to express ultimate sacrifice.
圣经约翰福音15章13节，常在流行文化中被引用，表达终极牺牲。
Use lay naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
联想母鸡下蛋（lay eggs）轻轻放置鸡蛋，记住lay核心是‘放’，平放、铺设都从‘放’来。
register: neutral; contexts: 日常放置, 操作指引; note_zh: 通常用于描述将物体平放的动作，适用于日常场景。
及物动词：放置、产卵；不及物动词：下蛋。注意与lie（躺）区分，lay的过去式是laid。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.