lay down

verb

1. to place on the ground, etc

2. to relinquish or discard

   to lay down one's life

3. to formulate (a rule, principle, etc)

4. to build or begin to build

   the railway was laid down as far as Manchester

5. to record (plans) on paper

6. to convert (land) into pasture

7. to store or stock

   to lay down wine

8. informal,  to wager or bet

9. informal,  (tr, adverb) to record (tracks) in a studio

Idioms and Phrases

Give something up, surrender, as in They laid down their arms . [c. 1300]

Formulate, specify, as in The club laid down new membership rules . [Late 1400s]

Also, lay down one's life . Sacrifice one's life, as in He would willingly lay down his life for his children . [c. 1600]

Store for the future, as in It was a great vintage year for burgundy, and Mark laid down several cases . [Early 1800s] Also see lay aside , def. 2.

Example Sentences

Approximately 1,800 firefighters have been battling the blaze, some laying down sprinkler line to shoot water onto the hulking trees, which can grow beyond 300 feet tall.

From Los Angeles Times

Soldiers are seen picking up trash, laying down mulch and chatting aimlessly as they patrol.

From Los Angeles Times

No team is just gonna lay down for them and for most teams it’s their World Series!

From Los Angeles Times

It was a striking cameo which lays down the gauntlet to Thelin to pick him from the start in Bucharest next week.

From BBC

I’ve never been the type of person like I can just put on my pajamas and lay down in the bed.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abandon 
• back down 
• back off 
• backtrack 
• depart 
• escape 
• evacuate 
• fall back 
• go 
• go back 
• hide 
• leave 
• pull out 
• recede 
• reel 
• retire 
• reverse 
• shrink 
• withdraw