Definition
[n] a narrative poem of popular origin
[n] a narrative song with a recurrent refrain
[adj] not of or from a profession; "a lay opinion as to the cause of the disease"
[adj] concerning those not members of the clergy; "set his collar in laic rather than clerical position"; "the lay ministry"; "the choir sings both sacred and secular music"
[v] put into a certain place or abstract location; "Put your things here"; "Set the tray down"; "Set the dogs on the scent of the missing children"; "Place emphasis on a certain point"
[v] put in a horizontal position; "lay the books on the table"; "lay the patient carefully onto the bed"
[v] lay eggs; of female animals; "This hen doesn't lay"
[v] prepare or position for action or operation; "lay a fire"; "lay the foundation for a new health care plan"
[v] impose as a duty, burden, or punishment; "lay a responsibility on someone"
A long narrative poem, especially one that was sung by medieval minstrels.
Example
- Excerpt
The Lay of the Last Minstrel
by Sir Walter Scott
The way was long, the wind was cold,
The Minstrel was infirm and old;
His wither'd cheek, and tresses gray,
Seem'd to have known a better day;
The harp, his sole remaining joy,
Was carried by an orphan boy.
Synonyms
ballad, laic, nonprofessional, place, pose, position, profane, put, secular, set
See Also...
apply, appose, arrange, array, assemble, barrel, bed, blow, bottle, bring down, bucket, build on, build upon, bury, butt, cache, clap, cock, coffin, communicate, cram, debark, defer, deposit, devise, discharge, disembark, displace, docket, drop, ensconce, ensnare, entomb, entrap, erect, fix, frame, gaol, get up, glycerolise, glycerolize, ground, hive up, hoard, hold over, imbricate, immure, impose, imprison, incarcerate, inhume, instal, install, inter, intersperse, jail, jar, jug, juxtapose, knock back, ladle, lag, land, lay, lay aside, lay away, lay out, lay over, lay to rest, lean, levy, lie, load, lose, machinate, marshal, middle, minstrelsy, mislay, misplace, move, organise, organize, parallelize, park, pass, pass on, perch, piece, pigeonhole, pile, pillow, pitch, place down, place upright, plant, poem, poise, posit, post, postpone, postpose, prepare, prepose, prorogue, put across, put away, put back, put behind bars, put down, put forward, put in, put off, put on, put over, put together, put up, rack up, rail, raise, range, rear, rebury, recess, remand, remit, replace, repose, repose on, reposition, rest, rest on, rig, save, save up, seat, seed, set back, set down, set out, set up, settle, settle down, shelve, sign, siphon, sit, sit down, situate, song, sough, sow, space, spawn, squirrel away, stand, stand up, stash, stick, stratify, superimpose, superpose, table, tack, tack together, tee, tee up, throw, trench, underlay, unload, upend, verse form
Related Terms
abate, accredit, address, advance, aim, air, alba, align, allay, allege, alleviate, anesthetize, ante, ante up, anthem, appease, aria, art song, aspect, assign, assuage, attemper, attitude, attribute, aubade, azimuth, back, ball, ballad, ballade, ballata,
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