lay down
verb
laid down; laying down; lays down
transitive verb
1
: to give up : surrender
lay down your arms
2
a
: establish, prescribe
lay down a scale for a map
b
: to assert or command dogmatically
lay down the law
3
a
: store, preserve
laid down a young wine
b
: record
laying down songs for their new album
4
a
: to direct toward a target
lay down a barrage
b
: to hit along the ground
laid down a sacrifice bunt
intransitive verb
nonstandard : to lie down
Synonyms
- constitute
- enact
- legislate
- make
- ordain
- pass
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
the city council promises to lay down new ordinances that will force dog walkers to clean up after their animals at the risk of their popularity, the parents laid down the rules for the party and wouldn't accept any arguments
Recent Examples on the Web The two were among dozens of filmmakers who signed an open letter asking security forces to lay down their weapons rather than attack protesters in the aftermath of the collapse. 
Babak Dehghanpisheh, Washington Post, 13 July 2022 The latest crackdown on dissent in Iran saw Al-Ahmad and Rasoulof arrested on Friday over the posting of social media statements that urged Iranian security force members to lay down their weapons used against protesters. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 July 2022 Early on, Ukrainian soldiers received SMS messages urging them to lay down their weapons and go home. Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2022 Gulbar Akram urged his brother to lay down his weapons and return to his children alive. Bloomberg.com, 20 Jan. 2022 Jerry had been gone almost three years in January 2019 when one night Karen and I lay down to go to bed. Sandra Sobieraj Westfall, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2022 Ronson, who was equally impressed by the song, suggested that the late Taylor Hawkins should lay down drums on the track. Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 28 July 2022 But, someone forgot to tell the Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy team to lay down. Scott Springer, The Enquirer, 27 May 2022 Yet Biden used the anniversary to lay down a set of principles for foreign policy as the United States and its allies arm Ukrainians and impose sanctions on Russia. Josh Boak, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2022 See More
Babak Dehghanpisheh, Washington Post, 13 July 2022 The latest crackdown on dissent in Iran saw Al-Ahmad and Rasoulof arrested on Friday over the posting of social media statements that urged Iranian security force members to lay down their weapons used against protesters. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 July 2022 Early on, Ukrainian soldiers received SMS messages urging them to lay down their weapons and go home. Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2022 Gulbar Akram urged his brother to lay down his weapons and return to his children alive. Bloomberg.com, 20 Jan. 2022 Jerry had been gone almost three years in January 2019 when one night Karen and I lay down to go to bed. Sandra Sobieraj Westfall, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2022 Ronson, who was equally impressed by the song, suggested that the late Taylor Hawkins should lay down drums on the track. Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 28 July 2022 But, someone forgot to tell the Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy team to lay down. Scott Springer, The Enquirer, 27 May 2022 Yet Biden used the anniversary to lay down a set of principles for foreign policy as the United States and its allies arm Ukrainians and impose sanctions on Russia. Josh Boak, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
laying down
verb
1
as in enacting
to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action the city council promises to lay down new ordinances that will force dog walkers to clean up after their animals Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- enacting
- passing
- bringing about
- constituting
- approving
- legislating
- making
- dictating
- ordaining
- effecting
- authorizing
- permitting
- ratifying
- sanctioning
- repassing
- proclaiming
- executing
- reenacting
- administering
- confirming
- allowing
- decreeing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- repealing
- killing
- abolishing
- revoking
- reversing
- rescinding
- invalidating
- canceling
- overturning
- cancelling
- nullifying
- annulling
- abrogating
- voiding
2
as in declaring
to state clearly and strongly at the risk of their popularity, the parents laid down the rules for the party and wouldn't accept any arguments Synonyms & Similar Words
- declaring
- asserting
- announcing
- saying
- professing
- proclaiming
- affirming
- avouching
- explaining
- guaranteeing
- advertising
- avowing
- promoting
- justifying
- defending
- averring
- stressing
- upholding
- convincing
- plugging
- pronouncing
- advancing
- emphasizing
- publicizing
- blazing
- boosting
- underlining
- advocating
- assuring
- accenting
- underscoring
- supporting
- calling
- persuading
- accentuating
- reaffirming
- championing
- rationalizing
- espousing
- reasserting
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- minimizing
- ignoring
- overlooking
- disregarding
- neglecting
- understating
3
as in specifying
to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly the supervisor laid down the procedure for a complaint of sexual harassment Synonyms & Similar Words
- specifying
- defining
- prescribing
- directing
- ordering
- telling
- arranging
- choosing
- selecting
- managing
- setting
- controlling
- assigning
- leading
- fixing
- requiring
- instructing
- dictating
- conducting
- compelling
- governing
- forcing
- bidding
- settling
- charging
- decreeing
- adjuring
- enjoining
- ordaining
- commanding
- constraining
- obligating
- coercing
- obliging
4
as in relinquishing
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress commanded the surrounded troops to lay down their weapons Synonyms & Similar Words
- relinquishing
- turning in
- rendering
- coughing up
- turning over
- surrendering
- handing over
- giving up
- delivering
- yielding
- ceding
- transferring
- abandoning
- resigning
- committing
- releasing
- waiving
- entrusting
- parting (with)
- discarding
- forfeiting
- consigning
- intrusting
- renouncing
- shedding
- deserting
- abnegating
- forsaking
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- keeping
- retaining
- withholding
- slipped (on or into)
- slipped away
- slipped coat
- slipped disc
- slipped discs
- slipped disk
- slipped disks
- slipped epiphysis
- slipped in
- slipped into
- slipped on or into
- slipped out
- slipped up
- slipped wing
- slipper
- slipper animalcule
- slipper brake
- slipper chair
- slipper foot
- slipper limpet
- slipper orchid
- slipper plant
- slipper satin
- slipper shell
- slipper-foxed