The verb to lay also has two very different meanings, as does the verb to lie. When you're talking about doing something right now, you: Rather that saying “Put (or place) it on the table,” we can say “Lay … Yes, it's really that complicated. Substitute the word “place” for “lay” or “lie” in the sentence. Lie and lay are two words that seem to cause some of the greatest confusion, even among those versed in English grammar.Lie means to recline; lay, on the other hand, means to put or place something.Lay is a transitive verb, meaning that there is always an object after it. We can't cancel love — but should we cancel weddings? Past Tense: Lay: She laid the blanket on the floor when I asked. The idiom let sleeping dogs lie means not to stir up old conflicts or provoke an argument over unresolved issues. So, When I told Rooster to lay down, he didn’t know what I wanted laid down. Lie down, Fido! That lie goes lie, lied, have lied, lying. Lay is transitive; it requires that the verb have an object; there has to be a thing or person being placed: Lay it down. To cease discussing or dwelling on something; to take no action toward resolving something. Lay: You lay your book down and pet her. She’s in a horizontal or resting position. … The past tense of lie is lay, but not because Look it up now! Lie: The cat hops up on the bed and lies down. Laid is the past tense of lay; lay is the past tense of lie. 2. You can lay something down, and then it will lie there. Learn more. In Reply to: Let sleeping dogs lay posted by Victoria S Dennis on November 13, 2008 at 18:34:: : Does any one know the meaning and origins of the phrase "Let sleeping dogs lay"? . The verb to lay also has two very different meanings, as does the verb to lie. (Lay the book on the shelf. Lay: Unfold the blanket and lay it on the floor. Present tense. .” ~ Exodus 23:10-11a “The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord. Lay: Unfold the blanket and lay it on the floor. Or wear baby in a sling, and use the sling to lower baby into the crib. See also: let, lie How to use a word that (literally) drives some pe... Test your knowledge of the words of the year. When I told Rooster to lie down, he lay down. In Reply to: Let sleeping dogs lay posted by Victoria S Dennis on November 13, 2008 at 18:34:: : Does any one know the meaning and origins of the phrase "Let sleeping dogs lay"? In fact, it does matter. (H. G. Wells) "The lion and the calf shall lie down together, but the calf won't get much sleep." Lift baby's arm or leg, and let it fall a (very) short distance. I don't know the proper, grammatical way to say this phrase. We apologize. The spectators lay back in their seats to look at the sky. Substitute the word “place” for “lay” or “lie” in the sentence. To be or place oneself at rest in a flat, horizontal, or recumbent position; recline: He lay under a tree to sleep. So, When I told Rooster to lay down, he didn’t know what I wanted laid down. In I lie down to sleep, there is no object to the sentence, just subject (I).In Now I lay me down to sleep, there is a subject (I) and an object (me).Even though the subject and object are one and the same, the object is still present in the sentence, so you must use lay. Lay's most common meaning is "to place (something or someone) down in a flat position." ing(lī′ĭng), lies 1. Johan told me that he had (lie, lay) the box outside Ms. Farquar’s office. Lay vs. lie is one of English’s most confusing questions. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. If place makes the sentence sound funny, the correct word is “lie”. Lie, lay, lied, laid, layed… Does it even matter? Also, leave her lay. Lay's most common meaning is "to place (something or someone) down in a flat position." Today it’s your turn to lay the table. For example, you … Let sleeping dogs lie refers to the instinctive behavior of a dog whenever it is awakened suddenly from a nap. Look, we can't afford a new car right now, so let's let the matter lie for the time being. : Let it (a hen) lay an egg. Because you need a direct object only with lay, you will know that the past tense is laid. This meaning is similar to the verb ‘lay’, but when we lay something we put it down. When I told Rooster to lie down, he lay down. Lie: Last night, you lay awake for hours, unable to go to sleep. Let it lie. Take lie for example.As a present participle, the word is conjugated to lying.. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. 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