lay
lay — 動詞
1. to place an object carefully onto a surface, so that it lies flat or is in the c
放置；擺放
小心地將物品平放於表面
to place an object carefully onto a surface, so that it lies flat or is in the correct position
Mayumi laid the baby gently on the changing table and reached for a fresh nappy.
Mayumi 輕輕地把寶寶放在尿布檯上，然後伸手拿了一片新尿布。
lay + noun + adverb/preposition indicating location
The workers are laying new floor tiles in the kitchen this morning.
工人今天早上正在廚房鋪設新的地板磁磚。
progressive aspect: laying + object
Bilal laid the documents flat on the manager's desk before leaving.
Bilal 在離開前把文件攤平放在經理的辦公桌上。
Kasia laid the table with clean plates and shiny forks for the dinner guests.
Kasia 為晚餐的客人擺好了乾淨的盤子和閃亮的叉子。
New fibre-optic cables were laid along the entire street last month.
上個月，整條街道都鋪設了新的光纖電纜。
文法句型
lay + noun + adverb/preposition
用法筆記
Object is typically something that needs to be arranged or positioned carefully (cables, tiles, tableware, a baby). Frequently followed by a prepositional phrase or adverb indicating the location.
2. to put a coat or layer of a substance such as paint or mud onto a surface
塗抹；鋪設
在表面塗上或鋪上一層材料
to put a coat or layer of a substance such as paint or mud onto a surface
Vinícius laid a thick coat of paint on the old fence before the rain started.
Vinícius 在雨來之前，替舊籬笆塗了一層厚厚的油漆。
lay + substance + on + surface
The gardener laid fresh mulch around the rose bushes to keep the soil moist.
園丁在玫瑰叢周圍鋪上新覆蓋物以保持土壤溼潤。
Before baking, Folake laid a thin layer of butter on the cake pan.
烘烤之前，Folake 在蛋糕烤盤上塗了一層薄薄的奶油。
Workers laid hot asphalt on the road leading up to the school entrance.
工人們在通往學校入口的道路上鋪了熱柏油。
文法句型
lay + substance + on/over + surface
用法筆記
Common pattern: lay + [substance or material] + on/over + [surface]. The focus is on covering or coating, not on precise positioning of a whole object.
3. to think through and set up a plan, system, or method in a careful, organised wa
制定；籌劃
詳細準備計劃或系統的執行
to think through and set up a plan, system, or method in a careful, organised way
The committee laid plans for the annual charity event six months in advance.
委員會提前六個月制定好了年度慈善活動的計劃。
collocation: lay plans
Andrei laid the groundwork for his new business by studying the local market carefully.
Andrei 仔細研究了當地市場，為新事業打下基礎。
collocation: lay the groundwork for
The city council laid out a strategy to improve bus services across the whole region.
市議會擬定了一項改善全市公車服務的策略。
Before the trial began, the lawyers laid the foundation for their argument in a written statement.
審判開始前，律師們以書面陳述為他們的論點奠定理論基礎。
文法句型
lay + abstract noun (plans, groundwork, foundation)
用法筆記
Objects are typically abstract nouns such as plans, groundwork, foundation, strategy, or framework. This sense often appears in formal, academic, or business contexts. Distinguish from sense 1 (PUT DOWN): sense 3 deals with abstract preparation, not physical placement.
4. the past simple form of the verb 'lie' (meaning to be in a flat position with th
平躺過去式
lie 的過去式，表示平躺的狀態
the past simple form of the verb 'lie' (meaning to be in a flat position with the body stretched out on a surface)
The dog lay by the fire all afternoon while the children played nearby.
那隻狗整個下午都躺在爐火旁邊，孩子們在附近玩耍。
subject (animal) + lay + adverb of place
Greta lay on the grass and stared up at the clouds passing overhead.
Greta 躺在草地上，抬頭看著頭頂上飄動的雲朵。
His phone lay on the kitchen counter for hours before he noticed it.
他的手機在廚房流理臺上躺了好幾個小時，他才注意到。
The old cat lay curled up on the sofa most of the morning.
那隻老貓多半個早上都蜷縮在沙發上。
文法句型
subject + lay + adverb of place
用法筆記
This is the correct past tense of the intransitive verb 'lie' (recline). It takes no direct object. Distinguish from sense 5 (NON-STANDARD): sense 4 is grammatically correct; sense 5 uses 'lay' for the present tense of 'lie', which is considered an error.
常見錯誤
5. to be in a flat or resting position, used by some speakers instead of the standa
誤用為「躺」
以 lay 代替 lie 的不標準用法
to be in a flat or resting position, used by some speakers instead of the standard verb 'lie' — this use is widely regarded as incorrect in careful speech and writing
Mathieu's teacher told him not to say 'I need to lay down' when he wants to rest.
Mathieu 的老師告訴他，想說「躺下休息」時不該用 'I need to lay down'。
common learner error highlighted
In casual talk people say 'the book is laying on the table,' but formal writing prefers 'lying.'
日常口語中有人會說 'the book is laying on the table'，但正式寫作應用 'lying'。
A notice board sign read 'Go and lay down,' and a reader corrected it with a marker.
佈告欄上的告示寫著 'Go and lay down'，有讀者拿筆把它更正了。
Brian's essay was marked down because he wrote 'lay on the beach' not 'lie on the beach.'
Brian 在作文裡寫了 'lay on the beach' 而不是 'lie on the beach'，因此被扣了分。
文法句型
lay (used incorrectly for lie)
用法筆記
Frequently flagged as an error in English exams and formal contexts. Standard forms: lie (present), lay (past), lain (past participle). 'Lay' as a present-tense verb always requires a direct object (e.g., 'lay the book down').
常見錯誤
6. (of a female animal such as a bird, fish, or insect) to release eggs from inside
產卵；下蛋
雌性動物或鳥類產出卵
(of a female animal such as a bird, fish, or insect) to release eggs from inside the body
The hen lays one egg almost every day during the warm summer months.
那隻母雞在溫暖的夏季幾乎每天都會下一顆蛋。
collocation: lay eggs
Sea turtles lay their eggs on the exact same beach where they themselves were born.
海龜們會在自己出生的同一處沙灘上產卵。
Sivan found a nest in the garden where a blackbird had laid four blue eggs.
Sivan 在花園裡發現一個鳥巢，裡面有一隻黑鶇產下了四顆藍色的蛋。
The salmon swims upstream, lays thousands of eggs in the gravel, and then dies.
鮭魚游到上游，在礫石中產下數千顆卵後便死亡。
Our backyard chickens stopped laying completely when the temperature dropped below zero.
我們後院的雞在氣溫降到零度以下之後就完全不下蛋了。
文法句型
lay + eggs
subject (animal) + lays
用法筆記
Used of birds, reptiles, fish, insects, and egg-laying mammals (e.g., the platypus). Not used for human reproduction. When used without 'eggs' (intransitive), the meaning is already understood (e.g., 'The hens are laying well this year').
7. to be sexually intimate with another person — this word is very direct and can s
上床；搞
與某人發生性行為，語氣直接粗魯
to be sexually intimate with another person — this word is very direct and can sound rude if used carelessly
In some old novels, male characters boast about how many women they have laid.
在一些舊小說裡，男性角色會吹噓自己睡過多少女人。
informal register; boast of quantity
Jack's friends teased him for saying he had laid someone on the first date.
Jack 的朋友取笑他，因為他說自己在第一次約會就跟人上床了。
direct object = person
The film's villain casually claims he has laid every woman in the village.
電影裡的反派隨口吹噓自己搞遍了村子裡的所有女人。
Mira felt embarrassed when her date joked about laying other women.
Mira 的約會對象開玩笑說他搞過其他女人，讓她覺得很不舒服。
Christopher's grandfather would never say "lay" to mean sex — he thought the word was crude.
Christopher 的祖父絕不會用「lay」來表示性行為——他覺得這個詞太粗俗了。
- sleep with
softer and more common in everyday speech
- go to bed with
less direct, still somewhat informal but not crude
文法句型
lay + person
用法筆記
Considered vulgar or crude by many speakers. Avoid using this sense in polite conversation or formal writing. The past tense is laid, not 'layed'.
常見錯誤
8. to risk an amount of money by guessing the result of a competition, race, or gam
下注；押注
把錢押在比賽或遊戲的結果上
to risk an amount of money by guessing the result of a competition, race, or game, hoping that your guess is correct
Lucia laid fifty dollars on the grey horse to win the race.
Lucia 押了五十美元在那匹灰馬身上，賭牠會贏得比賽。
lay + money + on + outcome
Darius laid a bet that his team would win the championship this year.
Darius 打賭他的球隊今年會贏得冠軍。
lay + a bet + that-clause
The gambler laid all his savings on a single card game and lost everything.
那名賭徒把畢生積蓄全押在一場紙牌遊戲上，最後輸得精光。
Soraya decided to lay a small amount on each football match that weekend.
Soraya 決定那個週末每場足球賽都押一點小錢。
Anong laid a wager with her brother over who could finish the puzzle first.
Anong 跟她哥哥打賭，看誰能先拼完拼圖。
文法句型
lay + money + on + result
lay + a bet / a wager
用法筆記
Frequently used with a sum of money or the nouns bet and wager as the direct object. Common in the context of horse racing, card games, and sports.
常見錯誤
9. to present a claim, accusation, or piece of information in a formal or official
正式提出
以正式方式提出指控、申訴或報告
to present a claim, accusation, or piece of information in a formal or official way, especially to someone in authority
The lawyer laid serious accusations of fraud before the judge.
律師在法官面前正式提出了詐欺指控。
lay + accusation + before + authority figure
The police commissioner laid formal charges against the company director.
警察局長正式對該公司董事提出告訴。
lay + charges + against + person
Mei laid her concerns before the school board at the meeting.
Mei 在校務會議上向董事會反映了她的疑慮。
The committee laid a full report before Parliament for review.
委員會向議會提交了一份完整的報告供審查。
Élise laid a complaint with the manager about the poor service.
Élise 向經理投訴服務品質不佳。
文法句型
lay + accusation / charge / claim + before + authority
lay + statement + before + [person / institution]
用法筆記
Common in legal and administrative contexts. The pattern 'lay [something] before [someone/an institution]' is especially frequent in British English. The direct object is typically an abstract noun (accusation, charge, claim, complaint, report, statement).
常見錯誤
10. to state that something belongs to you or that you have a legal or moral right t
聲稱擁有
宣稱某物屬於自己或自己有權擁有
to state that something belongs to you or that you have a legal or moral right to it — for example, claiming ownership of a piece of land, an object, or a title
The farmer laid claim to the land his family had worked for three generations.
那位農夫宣稱那塊土地的所有權，因為他家已經耕作了三代。
lay claim to + property
No one has ever laid claim to the jewellery found hidden in the old house.
至今沒有人出面認領在老房子裡發現的那些珠寶。
negative construction: no one + lay claim to
The museum director laid claim to the ancient vase on behalf of the nation.
博物館館長代表國家主張對那只古花瓶的所有權。
Yael laid claim to the title of regional champion after winning the final match.
Yael 在贏得總決賽後宣稱自己是區域冠軍。
Several distant relatives suddenly laid claim to the widow's estate after her death.
那名寡婦過世後，好幾個遠親突然跑來聲稱有權繼承她的遺產。
- claim
simpler and more common; 'claim' can stand alone ('He claimed the land'), while 'lay claim to' is more formal and emphatic
- assert ownership of
more technical and legal in tone
文法句型
lay claim to + noun phrase
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'lay claim to [something]'. The object can be concrete (land, money, an object) or abstract (a title, a right, an achievement). This sense does not take a that-clause or a simple direct object on its own.
常見錯誤
lay — 名詞
1. an informal and potentially offensive way of referring to someone as a sexual pa
床伴
指性伴侶的技巧或意願
an informal and potentially offensive way of referring to someone as a sexual partner, with the focus on their skill or how willing they are — used with adjectives such as 'good,' 'great,' or 'easy'
Minh had a reputation around campus as an easy lay.
在學校裡，Minh 被認為是很好約上床的人。
collocation: easy lay — someone easily persuaded to have sex
Élise told Wren that Esteban was a surprisingly good lay.
Élise 跟 Wren 說，Esteban 的床伴技巧出乎意料地好。
collocation: good lay — a skilled sexual partner
The crude joke among the construction crew was about who was the best lay.
建築工人之間的低級笑話，是在比較誰的床上功夫最好。
Reema considered the label 'good lay' a compliment, not an insult.
Reema 認為「很會上床」這個說法是稱讚，不是侮辱。
In some circles, casually calling someone a great lay is seen as disrespectful.
在某些圈子裡，隨便說某人是很棒的床伴，會被視為不尊重。
- sexual partner
neutral and clinical; no value judgment about skill
- lover
more romantic; implies an emotional relationship, not just sexual skill
- bed partner
also informal, but less common and slightly less crude than 'lay'
文法句型
a/an [adjective] + lay
the [superlative] + lay
用法筆記
Almost always used after an adjective (good, great, easy, best). This sense is very informal and can be offensive — avoid in polite or professional conversation.
常見錯誤
lay — 形容詞
1. describes someone who is not specially trained or deeply informed about a partic
外行的
不具備專業知識或訓練的
describes someone who is not specially trained or deeply informed about a particular field of activity
The financial report used many difficult terms that a lay reader could not understand.
這份財務報告用了太多艱澀的術語，外行的讀者根本看不懂。
lay + noun (reader/audience/public) for non-experts
Walid, a lay person with no medical training, asked a friend to check his essay.
Walid 完全沒有醫學訓練，是個外行人，他請朋友幫忙檢查他的文章。
This guide to computer programming is written for a lay audience, not for professional developers.
這本電腦程式設計指南是寫給外行讀者看的，不是給專業開發人員。
As a lay person in economics, Ayana found the budget discussion completely confusing.
Ayana 在經濟學方面完全是個外行人，覺得預算討論聽得一頭霧水。
The scientist tried to explain her discovery in plain language for the lay public.
這位科學家試著用平易的語言向一般大眾解釋她的發現。
- non-expert
more direct and commonly used in everyday speech; 'lay' is slightly more formal
- amateur
suggests someone does something for enjoyment rather than money; 'lay' focuses on lack of training, not payment
- untrained
emphasises the absence of formal instruction rather than general knowledge
- professional
the direct opposite in terms of training and qualifications
- expert
contrasts with 'lay' in terms of depth of knowledge
文法句型
lay + noun (person/reader/audience/public)
用法筆記
Always placed before a noun — cannot be used after a linking verb (✗ 'He is lay'). The noun it modifies is usually a person or a group of people: lay person, lay reader, lay audience, lay public.
常見錯誤
2. relating to a member of a religious community who serves the organisation withou
平信徒的
宗教組織中非神職的
relating to a member of a religious community who serves the organisation without being an officially ordained priest, minister, or paid church employee
The church hired Dahlia as a lay worker to run the food bank.
教會聘請了 Dahlia 擔任平信徒工作人員，負責管理食物銀行。
collocation: lay worker
Christopher trained for two years before becoming a lay preacher at his local church.
Christopher 接受了兩年的訓練，之後成為當地教會的平信徒講道者。
collocation: lay preacher
Lay members of the church help serve meals at the shelter every Saturday morning.
教會的平信徒成員每週六早上會到收容所幫忙發放餐點。
A lay minister from the next town led Sunday service when the priest was away.
隔壁鎮上的一位平信徒牧師在神父外出期間主持了週日禮拜。
Several lay volunteers clean and organise the church building at the weekend.
幾位平信徒義工在週末幫忙打掃和整理教會建築。
- non-clerical
more formal and technical; 'lay' is the everyday term in religious communities
- non-ordained
specifically means not having received holy orders; narrower than 'lay'
- laity (collective noun)
refers to lay people as a group rather than describing an individual's position
文法句型
lay + noun (minister/preacher/leader/member/worker)
用法筆記
Always placed before a noun. Commonly pairs with church-related roles (lay minister, lay preacher, lay leader, lay worker). The opposite role is 'ordained' or 'clerical'. Not used outside a religious context.