lay by

1 of 1verb

/leɪ baɪ/

Forms:lays by,laying by,laid by,laid by

1

to put something aside for future use

I'm trying to lay some money by for a down payment on a house.
The farmer laid some grain by for the winter.
The mother laid some clothes by for her growing baby.
The company is laying some funds by for research and development.
The library is laying some books by for future generations.

2

(of a ship) to stay in one place while facing the wind

The ship had to lay by for a while to wait for the storm to pass.
During the challenging weather conditions, the captain decided to lay by to ensure the safety of the crew.
The sailors were instructed to lay by until the fog lifted.
The ship laid by for a while as the storm passed.
The sailors are laying by until visibility improves.

3

to discard something that is no longer needed or useful

In the attic, they laid by the worn-out furniture to make space for new items.
As part of the cleanup, they laid by the broken tools that were beyond repair.
The decision was made to lay by the malfunctioning appliances rather than attempting to fix them.
The company chose to lay outdated equipment by.
She laid torn clothes by, deciding it was time to update her wardrobe.