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Phrase(s): the lay of the land
1. Lit. the arrangement of features on an area of land. (Also with lie, especially British English.) • The surveyor mapped the lay of the land. • The geologist studied the lay of the land, trying to determine if there was oil below. 2. Fig. the arrangement or organization of something other than land. • As soon as I get the lay of the land in my new job, things will go better. • The company’s corporate structure was complex, so understanding the lay of the land took time.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs