lay out

lay someone out 

1. Sl. to knock someone down with a punch; to knock someone unconscious. Tom laid out Bill with one punch to the chin. The policeman laid the thief out.

2. to prepare a corpse for burial or for a wake. They laid out their uncle for the wake. The women of the community used to lay their dead out.

3. Sl. to scold someone severely. Don't lay me out! I didn't do it! She really laid out the guy but good. What did he do, rob a bank?

See also: lay, out

lay something out 

1. Lit. to spread something out. The nurse laid the instruments out for the operation. The valet laid out the clothing for his employer.

2. Fig. to explain a plan of action or a sequence of events. Let me lay it out for you. Lay out the plan very carefully, and don't skip anything.

3. Fig. to spend some amount of money. I can't lay that kind of money out every day! She laid out about $24,000 for that car.

See also: lay, out

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lay out something also lay something out

1. to plan or explain something very carefully and in great detail Plans for the ceremony were laid out so well that everyone knew what they were to do. Let's review the points one more time before we lay them out for the press.

2. to spend money I can't believe he laid out $100 for flowers and $150 for two bottles of wine!

Usage notes: often the amount of money seems like too much

3. to arrange something First the pictures are approved by the editor, then the designer lays them out on pages.

See also: lay, out