LAY
Lay, n.
Defn: A meadow. See Lea. [Obs.] Dryden.
LAY
Lay, n. Etym: [OF.lei faith, law, F. loi law. See Legal.]
1. Faith; creed; religious profession. [Obs.] Of the sect to which that he was born He kept his lay, to which that he was sworn. Chaucer.
2. A law. [Obs.] "Many goodly lays." Spenser.
3. An obligation; a vow. [Obs.] They bound themselves by a sacred lay and oath. Holland.
LAY Lay, a. Etym: [OF. lai, lais, prob. of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. laoi, laoidh, song, poem, OIr.laoidh poem, verse; but cf. also AS. lac play, sport, G. leich a sort of poem (cf. Lake to sport).
1. A song; a simple lyrical poem; a ballad. Spenser. Sir W. Scott.
2. A melody; any musical utterance. The throstle cock made eke his lay. Chaucer.
LAY
Lay, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Laid; p. pr. & vb. n. Laying.] Etym: [OE.
leggen, AS. lecgan, causative, fr. licgan to lie; akin to D.leggen,
G. legen, Icel. leggja, Goth. lagjan. See Lie to be prostrate.]