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Glite Dictionary
to lay down

to lay down

70 3.9
Officially set a rule or law that people must follow
  • phrasal verb
  • /leɪ daʊn/
  • Formal
translation icon : establecer
  • You know, like lay down the law, right?
  • lay down the law
  • lay down the rules
  • lay down principles

Is there clear laws laid down by this and how can one interpret it?

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Examples

  • I'm laying down the law.

    Open Season (2006)

  • There are authorities that lay down what is true and what is right.

    Academic text (2011)

  • I think that we could, if we put our heads together, lay some ground rules down, we could really, we could really change history.

    Mandao Returns (2020)

  • Ultimate or religious values lay down the basic principles of social action.

    Academic text (1995)

  • - All of them willing at a moment's notice to lay down their own lives out of devotion to you.

    Shrek the Third (2007)

  • In just a few minutes, hundreds of Austrians lay down their arms and surrender.

  • The toughest part here today was just getting her to lay down and cooperate.

    Tabula Rasa (2018)

  • I now lay down the command of my legions and retire to private life.

    Spartacus (1960)

  • Seven countries on their own lay down the laws that adversely affect the economies of others.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The teacher decided to lay down new guidelines for classroom behavior.

Synonyms

to make
vsto lay down
∞ 1.0

To create something by putting parts together

is specifically about officially creating binding rules and laws
to establish
vsto lay down
772 4.1

To start something that is meant to last

is specific to official rules and principles that must be followed
to enact
vsto lay down
  • Formal
172 4.7

To make a rule into law by an official vote or order

is more general and covers stating official rules not only making laws
to prescribe
vsto lay down
  • Formal
57 4.2

State an official rule about what people must do

is broader and creates official rules or principles meant to be followed
to formalize
vsto lay down
  • US
15 4.9

To make something official by following rules, often with a written agreement

is focused on creating mandatory rules rather than general officiality
to stipulate
vsto lay down
  • Formal
15 7.9

Make a formal spoken agreement in court that has legal force

is about general rule making rather than contract term setting
to set down
vsto lay down
13 3.8

To write words or information so they are recorded

is about creating binding rules not merely writing them down
to lay down the law
vsto lay down
  • Informal
12 5.5

Tell people firmly what they must do

is about official creation of binding rules rather than forceful personal assertion

Antonyms

to repeal
  • Formal
143 4.3

To cancel a law or rule so it no longer applies

How Authoritative

to dictate
181 5.0
to enact
  • Formal
172 4.7
to lay down
  • Formal
70 3.9
to establish
772 4.1
to state
∞ 1.6
to propose
∞ 3.0

Surface Forms

lay down infinitive
laying down present participle
lays down third person singular
laid down past
laid down past participle

Morphology

lay + down

The combination of 'lay' (to place) with 'down' suggests putting or setting something in position, so 'lay down rules' is a metaphorical extension meaning to place or establish rules; this relation is partially inferable from the constituents but relies on a non-literal verb+particle construction. Because the particle 'down' shifts from a spatial sense to a grammaticalized function ('set/establish'), the specific institutional sense may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrasal verb lay down comes from the idea of putting something on a surface, like lay a paper down on a table. When a rule or law was put there in writing for everyone to see it became fixed and official, so lay down now means 'to state or make a rule'.