layup

1 of 2

noun

lay·​up ˈlā-ˌəp 

1

: the action of laying up or the condition of being laid up

2

: a shot in basketball made from near the basket usually by playing the ball off the backboard

lay up

2 of 2

verb

laid up; laying up; lays up

transitive verb

1

: to store up : lay by

2

: to disable or confine with illness or injury

a knee injury laid him up for a week

3

: to take out of active service

Synonyms

Verb

• cache
• hoard
• lay away
• lay by
• lay in
• put by
• salt away
• squirrel (away)
• stash
• stockpile
• store
• stow
• treasure

Examples of layup in a Sentence

Verb

an eating disorder that would impel her to lay up candy bars in her closet for all-night food binges

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Atlanta stretched the lead to nine in the fourth quarter but was reeled in by Indiana once again, with a Boston layup off Clark’s 10th assist tying the game at 90 with 18 seconds left. —Sam Joseph, CNN, 9 Sep. 2024

Washington got the next three points, but a McBride steal with 42.6 seconds left sent Alanna Smith in for a fast-break layup, and with the free throw from the Australian Olympian, an eight-point Lynx lead. —Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 15 Aug. 2024

Verb

Others are laid up with fever, cough, and fatigue for days or weeks. —Arthur Allen | Kff Health News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2024

Just a few months later, while Pop was still laid up in bed, Alberta went to a Mets game and came home complaining of a headache. —Xochitl Gonzalez, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

layup

1 of 2 noun

lay·​up ˈlā-ˌəp 

: a basketball shot made from near the basket usually by bouncing the ball off the backboard

lay up

2 of 2 verb

1

: to store up

2

: to disable or confine with illness or injury

a knee injury laid her up for a week

3

: to take out of active service