lay

lay

A prét ⇒ lie.

B n

1 ◑ injur (sexual partner) she's an easy lay injur c'est une fille facile offensive ; she's a good lay injur elle baise ● bien offensive ; (sex act) baise ● f ;

2 Literat lai m.

C adj

1 gen [helper, worker] non initié ; lay person profane mf ; lay opinion l'opinion des profanes ;

2 Relig [preacher, member, reader] laïque ; [brother, sister] lai.

D vtr (prét, pp laid)

1 lit (place) poser ; (spread out) étaler [rug, blanket, covering] ; (arrange) disposer ; (ceremonially, as offering) déposer [wreath] ; coucher [baby, patient] ; lay the cards face down posez les cartes face en dessous ; lay the blanket on the ground étalez la couverture sur le sol ; lay the slices of apple on top disposez les pommes coupées en tranches sur le dessus ; she laid the baby in the cot elle a couché le bébé dans le berceau ; to lay the newspaper on the table étaler le journal sur la table ; he laid his hand on my forehead il a posé sa main sur mon front ; he laid his cheek against hers il a mis sa joue contre la sienne ; to lay hands on sth fig (find) mettre la main sur qch ; to lay hands on sb Relig imposer les mains à qn ;

2 (set for meal) mettre [table, cutlery, crockery] ; to lay the table for lunch mettre la table pour le déjeuner ; to lay the table for four mettre le couvert pour quatre ; to lay the table with the best china disposer la plus belle porcelaine sur la table ; to lay an extra place ajouter un couvert ;

3 (prepare) préparer [fire, plan, trail] ; poser [basis, foundation] ; tendre [trap] ;

4 Constr, Hort, Mil poser [carpet, tiles, bricks, paving, turf, cable, mine, pipe] ; construire [railway, road, sewer] ;

5 Zool pondre [egg] ;

6 fig (attribute) porter [charge, accusation] ; déposer [complaint] ; jeter [curse, spell] (on à) ; to lay stress ou emphasis on sth mettre l' accent sur qch ; to lay the blame for sth on sb rejeter la responsabilité de qch sur qn ;

7 (bet) gen, Turf parier [money] (on sur) ;

8 (suppress) fig dissiper [fears, doubts, suspicions] ; arrêter [rumour] ;

9 ◑ (have sex with) baiser ● avec ; to get laid se faire sauter ● .

E vi (prét, pp laid)

1 Agric, Zool pondre ;

2 Naut jeter l'ancre (off au large de ; alongside le long de).

Idioms

to lay it on the line ne pas mâcher ses mots ; to lay a finger ou hand on sb (beat) lever la main sur qn ; (touch) toucher.

Phrasal verbs

■ lay about :

▶ lay about [sb] rouer [qn] de coups ; to lay about sb with a stick rouer qn de coups de bâton.

■ lay aside :

▶ lay aside [sth], lay [sth] aside

1 lit (for another activity) poser [book, sewing, toy] ; (after one stage in process) mettre [qch] de côté [part-finished dish, model] ;

2 fig (relinquish) abandonner [studies, cares] ; renoncer à [responsibility, principle, feeling, inhibition, doubt].

■ lay back :

▶ lay back [sth], lay [sth] back coucher [ears, patient] ; poser [head].

■ lay before :

▶ lay [sth] before sb soumettre [qch] à qn [law, bill] ; exposer [qch] à qn [case, facts, evidence] ; I laid the facts before them je leur ai exposé les faits.

■ lay by :

▶ lay by [sth], lay [sth] by mettre [qch] de côté [money, provisions].

■ lay down :

▶ lay down [sth], lay [sth] down

1 (put horizontal) coucher [object, baby, patient] ; étaler [rug, garment, cards] ;

2 (put down) poser [book, implement, suitcase] ; déposer [weapon, arms] ;

3 fig (relinquish) to lay down one's life for sb/sth sacrifier sa vie pour qn/qch ;

4 (establish) établir [rule, procedure, plan, course of action] ; poser [condition] ; donner [order] ; fixer [price, charge, wage] ; it is laid down that… il est stipulé que… ;

5 Constr jeter, poser [foundations] ; installer [cable, pipe, drain] ; construire [road, railway] ;

6 Wine mettre [qch] en cave [bottles, wine] ;

7 (record) enregistrer [track].

■ lay in :

▶ lay in [sth] faire provision de ; we've laid in plenty of beer nous avons fait une grande provision de bière ; to lay in supplies of sth s'approvisionner en qch.

■ lay into :

▶ lay into [sb]

1 lit bourrer [qn] de coups ; she laid into me with her umbrella elle m'a donné des coups de parapluie ;

2 ○ fig (abuse) she laid into me elle m'est tombée dessus ○ ; the teacher laid into them for being late le professeur leur est tombé dessus ○ à cause de leur retard.

■ lay off (stop) ○ arrêter ; lay off! it hurts! arrête! ça fait mal! ;

▶ lay off [sb], lay [sb] off (sack) (temporarily) mettre [qn] en chômage technique ; (permanently) licencier ;

▶ lay off [sb] (leave alone) ○ laisser [qn] tranquille.

■ lay on :

▶ lay on [sth], lay [sth] on

1 (apply) appliquer [paint, plaster, glue] ;

2 GB (install) [workman] installer [gas, electricity, water] ; [owner] faire installer [gas, electricity, water] ;

3 (supply) prévoir [meal, food, service, transport] ;

4 (organize) organiser [entertainment, excursion] ; donner [display] ;

5 ○ fig (exaggerate) forcer un peu la dose sur ○ [praise, pathos, sarcasm, gratitude, flattery] ; you laid it on a bit (thick) tu as forcé un peu la dose ○ .

■ lay open :

▶ lay [sth] open exposer (to à) ; to lay oneself open to s'exposer à [accusations, criticism, ridicule, exploitation].

■ lay out :

▶ lay [sth] out, lay out [sth]

1 lit (spread out, display) disposer [goods, cards, food] ; (unfold) étaler [map, garment, fabric] ; (put ready) préparer [clothes] ;

2 (design) concevoir [building, book, magazine, advertisement] ; mettre [qch] en page [letter, illustrations] ; monter [page] ; dessiner [town, village, garden] ; disposer [buildings, pattern pieces] ;

3 (explain) exposer [reasons, demands, facts, information] ;

4 ○ (spend) débourser [sum of money] ;

▶ lay out [sb], lay [sb] out

1 (prepare for burial) faire la toilette mortuaire de [dead person, corpse] ;

2 ○ (knock unconscious) mettre [qn] KO ○ .

■ lay up :

▶ lay up [sth], lay [sth] up

1 (store away) lit faire provision de [food, supplies] ; fig se préparer [trouble, problems] ;

2 (take out of service) désarmer [boat] ;

▶ lay [sb] up (confine to bed) forcer [qn] à s'aliter ; to be laid up être alité ; to be laid up with être au lit avec [illness, injury].

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.