lay of the land

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lay of the land

1. Lit. the arrangement of features on an area of land. (Also with lie, especially British English.) The surveyor mapped the lay of the land. The geologist studied the lay of the land, trying to determine if there was oil below.

2. Fig. the arrangement or organization of something other than land. As soon as I get the lay of the land in my new job, things will go better. The company's corporate structure was complex, so understanding the lay of the land took time.

See also: land, lay

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The night was pretty dark, with neither moon nor stars visible, and as Brower had never dwelt thereabout, and knew nothing of the lay of the land, he was, naturally, not long in losing himself. Present At A Hanging And Other Ghost Stories by Bierce, Ambrose View in context But I didn't mind, because I didn't want to see nobody just yet -- I only wanted to get the lay of the land. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Twain, Mark View in context You see, I've just got to locate the lay of the land. Burning Daylight by London, Jack View in context			lay an egg lay around lay aside lay aside for lay at door lay at feet lay away lay bare lay before lay cards on the table lay claim to lay down lay down arms lay down life lay down the law lay emphasis on lay eyes on lay for lay hold of lay in lay into lay it on the line lay it on thick lay low lay low and sing small lay of the land lay off lay on lay open lay out lay out in lavender lay out on lay over lay rubber lay some sweet lines on lay the blame on lay the ghost of lay to lay to rest lay to waste lay together lay under lay up lay waste laze away leach leach away leach in leach out of lead lead a dance			lay it on thick lay it on thick lay it on thick lay it on with a trowel Lay leader Lay Low Lay Low Lay Low Lay Low Lay Low lay low and sing small Lay Member to Annual Conference lay midwife lay midwife Lay Ministers Lay Ministers Lay Ministers Lay Ministers lay money down lay money on lay neck on the block lay neck on the block lay neck on the block lay neck on the block lay neck on the block lay odds lay odds lay odds Lay of Havelock the Dane Lay of the Cid lay of the land lay off lay off lay off lay off lay off lay off Lay Offs Lay Offs Lay Offs Lay Offs lay on lay on lay on lay on lay on Lay on Hands lay on the line Lay on the table Lay on the table Lay on the table Lay on the table lay on thick lay on thick lay on thick lay on thick lay on with a trowel lay on with a trowel lay on with a trowel lay on with a trowel lay one on

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