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Glite Dictionary
to lay on

to lay on

4 4.2
Provide or arrange things like food and transport for an event
  • phrasal verb
  • /leɪ ɑn/
  • UK
translation icon : proporcionar
  • We'll have to lay on a full-scale raid.
  • emphasis is laid on

So my powders would lay on smoothly and more so my suave.

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Examples

  • But in other areas right here on the hand, I'm going to lay on the fill in material a little bit thicker.

  • You're right; hot-button issues have been laid on the table in a way they haven't before.

    Blog text (29)

  • And effectively we're making a small strip of paper ourselves, which we will then lay on the print.

  • Increasing emphasis is laid on the human aspect in organizations.

    Academic text (2000)

  • The hotel decided to lay on a special dinner to celebrate the holiday season.

  • To make the event memorable, the organizers will lay on transportation for all the guests.

  • The school is planning to lay on additional activities for the students during the summer break.

Synonyms

to put on
vsto lay on
34 1.7

To add something to a building to make it larger

adds or provides something mainly for a particular purpose

Antonyms

to remove
∞ 1.5

To move something or someone away from a place

to subtract
56 1.6

To take one number away from another

How Much

to lavish
17 5.3
to furnish
83 3.7
to lay on
  • UK
4 4.2
to provide
∞ 1.5
to offer
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

lay + on

The meaning 'to add or provide something' is directly derivable from combining 'lay' (to place) with 'on' (onto/against a surface), so a learner who knows both words can infer 'put/apply onto' as in 'laid on a thick layer of paint.' This is a straightforward verb+preposition compositional pattern found cross-linguistically and follows standard English placement semantics, making it readily comprehensible at B1.

Etymology

Lay on comes from the simple image of placing things for others: you lay plates or food on a table for guests. That's why it now means 'to provide' or 'to arrange' something for someone.