Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Lay \Lay\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Laid}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Laying}.] [OE. leggen, AS. lecgan, causative, fr. licgan to
   lie; akin to D. leggen, G. legen, Icel. leggja, Goth. lagjan.
   See {Lie} to be prostrate.]
   1. To cause to lie down, to be prostrate, or to lie against
      something; to put or set down; to deposit; as, to lay a
      book on the table; to lay a body in the grave; a shower
      lays the dust.

            A stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the
            den.                                  --Dan. vi. 17.

            Soft on the flowery herb I found me laid. --Milton.

   2. To place in position; to establish firmly; to arrange with
      regularity; to dispose in ranks or tiers; as, to lay a
      corner stone; to lay bricks in a wall; to lay the covers
      on a table.

   3. To prepare; to make ready; to contrive; to provide; as, to
      lay a snare, an ambush, or a plan.

   4. To spread on a surface; as, to lay plaster or paint.

   5. To cause to be still; to calm; to allay; to suppress; to
      exorcise, as an evil spirit.

            After a tempest when the winds are laid. --Waller.

   6. To cause to lie dead or dying.

            Brave C[ae]neus laid Ortygius on the plain, The
            victor C[ae]neus was by Turnus slain. --Dryden.

   7. To deposit, as a wager; to stake; to risk.

            I dare lay mine honor He will remain so. --Shak.

   8. To bring forth and deposit; as, to lay eggs.

   9. To apply; to put.

            She layeth her hands to the spindle.  --Prov. xxxi.
                                                  19.

   10. To impose, as a burden, suffering, or punishment; to
       assess, as a tax; as, to lay a tax on land.

             The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
                                                  --Is. Iiii. 6.

   11. To impute; to charge; to allege.

             God layeth not folly to them.        --Job xxiv.
                                                  12.

             Lay the fault on us.                 --Shak.

   12. To impose, as a command or a duty; as, to lay commands on
       one.

   13. To present or offer; as, to lay an indictment in a
       particular county; to lay a scheme before one.

   14. (Law) To state; to allege; as, to lay the venue.
       --Bouvier.

   15. (Mil.) To point; to aim; as, to lay a gun.

   16. (Rope Making) To put the strands of (a rope, a cable,
       etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them; as,
       to lay a cable or rope.

   17. (Print.)
       (a) To place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the
           imposing stone.
       (b) To place (new type) properly in the cases.

   {To lay asleep}, to put sleep; to make unobservant or
      careless. --Bacon.

   {To lay bare}, to make bare; to strip.

            And laid those proud roofs bare to summer's rain.
                                                  --Byron.

   {To lay before}, to present to; to submit for consideration;
      as, the papers are laid before Congress.

   {To lay by}.
       (a) To save.
       (b) To discard.

                 Let brave spirits . . . not be laid by.
                                                  --Bacon.

   {To lay by the heels}, to put in the stocks. --Shak.

   {To lay down}.
       (a) To stake as a wager.
       (b) To yield; to relinquish; to surrender; as, to lay
           down one's life; to lay down one's arms.
       (c) To assert or advance, as a proposition or principle.
           

   {To lay forth}.
       (a) To extend at length; (reflexively) to exert one's
           self; to expatiate. [Obs.]
       (b) To lay out (as a corpse). [Obs.] --Shak.

   {To lay hands on}, to seize.

   {To lay hands on one's self}, or {To lay violent hands on
   one's self}, to injure one's self; specif., to commit
      suicide.

   {To lay heads together}, to consult.

   {To lay hold of}, or {To lay hold on}, to seize; to catch.

   {To lay in}, to store; to provide.

   {To lay it on}, to apply without stint. --Shak.

Laying \Lay"ing\, n.
   1. The act of one who, or that which, lays.

   2. The act or period of laying eggs; the eggs laid for one
      incubation; a clutch.

   3. The first coat on laths of plasterer's two-coat work.

Source : WordNet®

laying
     n : the production of eggs (especially in birds) [syn: {egg
         laying}]