1
British
: turnout sense 2b
2
: the final operation (such as a last cultivating) in the growing of a field crop
laid by; laying by; lays by
Synonyms
Examples of lay-by in a Sentence
Verb
a politician who had laid by his principles years ago
ever since the last hurricane caught them unprepared, they have laid by emergency supplies
Recent Examples on the Web
Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2024
In 2001, based on groundwork laid by Albright, the State Department inaugurated its annual Trafficking in Persons Report, ranking countries based on their tolerance of a crime that disproportionately victimizes women.
—Foreign Affairs, 15 Feb. 2016
The cuckoo catfish, found in Lake Tanganyika, the world’s longest freshwater lake located in Sub-Saharan Africa, sneaks its own eggs into clutches laid by cichlid fish.
—Ben Guarino, Popular Science, 13 June 2024
The transaction would have brought an end to the Redstone family's long stewardship of Paramount, which was built on the corporate foundation laid by her late father, entertainment mogul Sumner Redstone.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 11 June 2024
But, according to police, the two women were walking into a trap laid by Adams; her boyfriend, Tad Cullum; and two pals, Cole and Cora Twombly.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2024
Amorim and her colleagues compared the number of eggs laid by populations of the fish in different tanks.
—Elizabeth Anne Brown, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024
These nymphs start off as eggs laid by adult flies from the former generation.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 June 2024
But if the current contest is a visible example of that nascent political power, the foundations have been laid by women like Ms. Magaña and Ms. Álvarez and those before them.
—Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 May 2024
Verb
The north bank is lined with razor wire laid by the Texas National Guard, tangled with the torn clothing of migrants.
—Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2024
In 2001, based on groundwork laid by Albright, the State Department inaugurated its annual Trafficking in Persons Report, ranking countries based on their tolerance of a crime that disproportionately victimizes women.
—Foreign Affairs, 15 Feb. 2016
The cuckoo catfish, found in Lake Tanganyika, the world’s longest freshwater lake located in Sub-Saharan Africa, sneaks its own eggs into clutches laid by cichlid fish.
—Ben Guarino, Popular Science, 13 June 2024
The transaction would have brought an end to the Redstone family's long stewardship of Paramount, which was built on the corporate foundation laid by her late father, entertainment mogul Sumner Redstone.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 11 June 2024
But, according to police, the two women were walking into a trap laid by Adams; her boyfriend, Tad Cullum; and two pals, Cole and Cora Twombly.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2024
Amorim and her colleagues compared the number of eggs laid by populations of the fish in different tanks.
—Elizabeth Anne Brown, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024
These nymphs start off as eggs laid by adult flies from the former generation.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 June 2024
But if the current contest is a visible example of that nascent political power, the foundations have been laid by women like Ms. Magaña and Ms. Álvarez and those before them.
—Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lay-by.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near lay-by
Cite this Entry
“Lay-by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lay-by. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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