English Dictionary

lay

/leɪ/

noun

Arrangement or relationship; layout. / A share of the profits in a business. / The direction a rope is twisted. / (colloquial) A casual sexual partner. / (colloquial) An act of sexual intercourse.

The lay of the land can affect the construction of a building.

意味（1）

Arrangement or relationship; layout.

the lay of the land

意味（2）

A share of the profits in a business.

I was already aware that in the whaling business they paid no wages; but all hands, including the captain, received certain shares of the profits called lays, and that these lays were proportioned to the degree of importance pertaining to the respective duties of the ship’s company.

意味（3）

The direction a rope is twisted.

Worm and parcel with the lay; turn and serve the other way.

意味（4）

(colloquial) A casual sexual partner.

Over the years she'd tried to tell himself that his uptown girl was just another lay.

意味（5）

(colloquial) An act of sexual intercourse.

Listening to this dismissal of his work, [Tennessee] Williams thought to himself of Wilder, “This character has never had a good lay.”

意味（6）

(slang, archaic) A place or activity where someone spends a significant portion of their time.

I shall be on that lay nae mair

意味（7）

The laying of eggs.

The hens are off the lay at present.

意味（8）

(obsolete) A layer.

[…] lay in the bottom of an earthen pot some dried vine leaves, and so make a lay of Pears, and leaves till the pot is filled up, laying betwixt each lay some sliced Ginger […]

意味（9）

(obsolete) A basis or ground.

On this lay or ground we should also add the finishing colours.