inlay
verb /ˌɪnˈleɪ/
/ˌɪnˈleɪ/
[often passive]Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they inlay | /ˌɪnˈleɪ/ /ˌɪnˈleɪ/ |
| he / she / it inlays | /ˌɪnˈleɪz/ /ˌɪnˈleɪz/ |
| past simple inlaid | /ˌɪnˈleɪd/ /ˌɪnˈleɪd/ |
| past participle inlaid | /ˌɪnˈleɪd/ /ˌɪnˈleɪd/ |
| -ing form inlaying | /ˌɪnˈleɪɪŋ/ /ˌɪnˈleɪɪŋ/ |
- to decorate the surface of something by putting pieces of wood or metal into it in such a way that the surface remains smooth
- A is inlaid (with B) The lid of the box had been inlaid with silver.
- B is inlaid (into A) Gold and silver had been inlaid into the lid of the box.
Word Originmid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘lay something in a place in order to hide or preserve it’): from in- ‘into’ + lay (verb).