lay down

What does "lay down" mean?

1. To establish rules or principles officially
2. To put something down carefully
3. To give up weapons
4. To store wine for ageing

Examples

• The law lays down strict guidelines for safety.
• She laid down her book and looked out the window.
• The rebels agreed to lay down their arms.
• They laid down several cases of wine.
• Parents need to lay down clear rules for their children.

How to use it

'Lay down the law' means to make rules firmly or to assert authority. Common in legal and parenting contexts. 'Lay down one's life' means to sacrifice oneself.

Word order

For rules: 'lay down' + rules/law (less often separated). For objects: separable. 'Lay down the law' is a fixed expression.

Similar expressions

Opposites

Related phrasal verbs

• lay off

  To stop employing workers, usually temporarily

• lay out

  To arrange things in a particular way

• turn down

  To reduce the volume, heat, or intensity of something

• bring down

  To cause something to fall or collapse

• go down

  To decrease in price, level, or amount

• come down

  To decrease in price, level, or amount