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

There was a putback, a couple of layups and a baseline jumper, just as the Bruins were increasing their defensive intensity. —Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2024

Sophomore forward Taji Alexa, also playing in her first varsity game against Marist, led McAuley (6-3) with 18 points, including back-to-back baskets on layups off steals to open the second half. —Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 10 Dec. 2024

Verb

Until recently, woven sheets of carbon fiber had to be laid up by hand in a mold, impregnated with resin, then cured for hours in an autoclave oven. —IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2012

Adults can live up to one week, spending that time laying up to 200 eggs in the top layers of moist plant soil. —Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 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