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Phrase(s): lay someone out
1. Sl. to knock someone down with a punch; to knock someone unconscious. • Tom laid out Bill with one punch to the chin. • The policeman laid the thief out. 2. to prepare a corpse for burial or for a wake. • They laid out their uncle for the wake. • The women of the community used to lay their dead out. 3. Sl. to scold someone severely. • Don’t lay me out! I didn’t do it! • She really laid out the guy but good. What did he do, rob a bank?, Phrase(s): lay something out
1. Lit. to spread something out. • The nurse laid the instruments out for the operation. • The valet laid out the clothing for his employer. 2. Fig. to explain a plan of action or a sequence of events. • Let me lay it out for you. • Lay out the plan very carefully, and don’t skip anything. 3. Fig. to spend some amount of money. • I can’t lay that kind of money out every day! • She laid out about $24,000 for that car.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
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1. Make a detailed plan, design, or explanation, as in They laid out the exact dimensions in order to construct the new display, or Robert laid out next year's plans for his staff. [Mid-1700s] 2. Prepare a dead body for burial, as in He died that morning and was laid out for the wake by afternoon. [Late 1500s] 3. Rebuke harshly, as in She laid me out for breaking the vase. [Slang; late 1800s] 4. Knock unconscious or to the ground, render helpless, as in He laid him out with one good punch. [Late 1800s] 5. Expend, spend, as in She laid out a fortune on jewelry. [Mid-1400s] 6. Display or arrange, especially in a particular order, as in He asked her to lay out the merchandise in an attractive way. [Mid-1400s]
American Heritage Idioms