1
as in to enact
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
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2
as in to declare
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
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3
as in to specify
to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly
the supervisor laid down the procedure for a complaint of sexual harassment
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4
as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
commanded the surrounded troops to lay down their weapons
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of lay down
Phoenix, who doesn’t seem accustomed to singing, much less very interested in it, is forced to warble his way through song numbers while Gaga refuses to lay down a dichotomy between what’s real versus fantasy concerning her character’s musical talents.
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Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 17 Dec. 2024
There’s a quiet power in decentralizing decision-making, creating processes that are transparent and laying down a foundation that ensures everyone in the organization knows what needs to be done—and has the tools to do it.
—Sherzod Odilov, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
The current place is making some very nifty rums, and that includes this single-barrel offering, laid down in 2006.
—Tony Sachs, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Look to the new moon in Capricorn (Dec. 30) to set intentions around this matter, as this lunation offers a fresh start to lay down a solid foundation.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 7 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lay down 
Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 17 Dec. 2024
There’s a quiet power in decentralizing decision-making, creating processes that are transparent and laying down a foundation that ensures everyone in the organization knows what needs to be done—and has the tools to do it.
—Sherzod Odilov, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
The current place is making some very nifty rums, and that includes this single-barrel offering, laid down in 2006.
—Tony Sachs, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Look to the new moon in Capricorn (Dec. 30) to set intentions around this matter, as this lunation offers a fresh start to lay down a solid foundation.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 7 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lay down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay down
Verb
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People who want to see tangible change within their own communities should encourage their state lawmakers to enact similar programs – which are already in various stages of development in New York, Oregon, Maryland, Vermont, and Pennsylvania—and vote for local candidates who are pro-climate.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025
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Suppose the United States eliminates methane rules and/or enacts tariffs.Ken Silverstein, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Trump’s election and the activism of conservative investors have many experts declaring that DEI is dead.Dev Patnaik, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
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Biden declared Thursday, Jan. 9 a national day of mourning for the 39th president of the United States.Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The law does not specify a time frame in which this disclosure should occur.Jennah Pendleton, Sacramento Bee, 14 Jan. 2025
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In 2023, there was one incident of unruly passenger behavior for every 480 flights compared to one for every 568 flights in 2022, the trade association said, without specifying how many of these incidents involved alcohol.Issy Ronald, CNN, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Textor would choose to relinquish his position on the Palace board in the event that Sportsbank’s investment in Eagle is completed.Matt Woosnam, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
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Angela later relinquished the creative director title.Clare Fisher, People.com, 2 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The ordinance passed in a 4-2 vote with one commissioner absent from the vote.Zeynep Portway, Orlando Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2025
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So last year, the bill was passed with big majorities in the GOP House and the Democratic Senate and then signed by President Biden.New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The original complaint asserts class-action status is appropriate and sets out reasons to support that position.Penny Weaver, arkansasonline.com, 2 Jan. 2025
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The team asserts that the temperature and humidity in the building have never breached their target parameters, and that’s with monitoring done in both summer and winter.Ben Oliver, Robb Report, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The Neolithic is defined by the adoption of agriculture.Peter Ross, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
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This evolution will also depend on advanced GPS/GNSS testing tools that simulate both normal and spoofed GPS signals with high accuracy to define new test parameters.Eric Updyke, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Visual Medium Has a Message How does the medium in which an image is rendered, its materiality, shape our perception of the subject matter?JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 8 Jan. 2025
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Some have suggested a reduction of as much as 95% in nicotine from what's currently found on the market, essentially rendering them nonaddictive.Tina Reed, Axios, 7 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Lay down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20down. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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