Laid vs. Lade — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 15, 2024
Laid is the past tense of "lay," indicating placement (e.g., she laid the book down), while lade is an archaic term meaning to load (e.g., they lade the cargo).
Difference Between Laid and Lade
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Key Differences
Laid, the past tense and past participle of "lay," refers to the action of placing something down gently or carefully, while lade, now considered archaic or used mostly in poetic contexts, refers to loading or filling up something, especially ships.
Laid is commonly used in everyday speech and writing, indicating the act of setting something down, whereas lade is rarely used in contemporary English and mostly appears in historical or literary texts.
In grammatical usage, "laid" functions as a verb and aligns with modern English usage patterns, while "lade" is typically found in older English texts, reflecting its usage in historical contexts.
The application of laid is straightforward, serving as part of the modern vernacular, on the other hand, lade often requires additional context or explanation due to its outdated nature.
Laid is often used in instructions or descriptions of physical actions, whereas lade, when used, might be found in more formal or ceremonial descriptions, often relating to maritime or cargo contexts.
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Verb (past tense of lay)
Verb (archaic)
Usage Frequency
Common
Rare, mostly archaic
Typical Context
Everyday, modern contexts
Historical, literary, especially nautical
Meaning
To put down gently or carefully
To load, especially cargo into a ship
Example Sentence
E.g., She laid the blanket on the bed.
E.g., The crew lade the ship with supplies before departure.
Compare with Definitions
Laid
Common in everyday language.
I laid out my clothes for the party.
Lade
Historically used in maritime contexts.
Sailors lade the cargo hold.
Laid
Past tense of lay, meaning to place down.
He laid the keys on the table.
Lade
Implies the beginning of a journey or preparation.
Merchants lade their goods for the market.
Laid
Used to describe careful placement.
She laid the baby in the crib gently.
Lade
Archaic term meaning to load.
They lade the wagon with hay.
Laid
Often used in passive constructions.
The bricks were laid by skilled workers.
Lade
Appears in literary or formal texts.
In the poem, knights lade their horses with gear.
Laid
Implies completion of an action.
Once he had laid the groundwork, the project began smoothly.
Lade
Can be used figuratively in poetry.
He lade his speech with heavy metaphors.
Laid
Past tense and past participle of lay1.
Lade
To load with or as if with cargo.
Laid
Simple past tense and past participle of lay
Lade
To place (something) as a load for or as if for shipment.
Laid
(of paper) Marked with parallel lines, as if ribbed, from wires in the mould.
Lade
To burden or oppress; weigh down.
Laid
Of Lay.
Lade
To take up or remove (water) with a ladle or dipper.
Laid
Set down according to a plan:
A carefully laid table with places set for four people
Stones laid in a pattern
Lade
To take on cargo.
Lade
To ladle a liquid.
Lade
To fill or load (related to cargo or a shipment).
Lade
To weigh down, oppress, or burden.
Lade
To use a ladle or dipper to remove something (generally water).
To lade water out of a tub, or into a cistern
Lade
To transfer (molten glass) from the pot to the forming table, in making plate glass.
Lade
(nautical) To admit water by leakage.
Lade
(Scotland) A load.
Lade
The mouth of a river.
Lade
A passage for water; a ditch or drain.
Lade
(Scottish) Water pumped into and out of mills, especially woolen mills.
Lade
To load; to put a burden or freight on or in; - generally followed by that which receives the load, as the direct object.
And they laded their asses with the corn.
Lade
To throw in or out, with a ladle or dipper; to dip; as, to lade water out of a tub, or into a cistern.
And chides the sea that sunders him from thence,Saying, he'll lade it dry to have his way.
Lade
To transfer (the molten glass) from the pot to the forming table.
Lade
To draw water.
Lade
To admit water by leakage, as a ship, etc.
Lade
The mouth of a river.
Lade
A passage for water; a ditch or drain.
Lade
Remove with or as if with a ladle;
Ladle the water out of the bowl
Lade
Fill or place a load on;
Load a car
Load the truck with hay
Common Curiosities
What are some examples of sentences using laid?
Examples include "She laid the book on the table" and "The foundation was laid last year."
How do I use laid in a sentence?
Use laid to indicate that something has been placed down, e.g., "He laid the carpet in the hallway."
What should I remember when using laid in writing?
Remember that "laid" is the past tense of "lay," and it should not be confused with "lied," which is the past tense of "lie" (to recline).
How can I correctly incorporate lade into historical or literary writing?
To correctly use "lade" in historical or literary contexts, ensure it fits a scenario involving loading or preparation, typically in a maritime or old-fashioned setting, maintaining the historical accuracy and stylistic tone of the period.
What are some common mistakes people make when using laid?
A common mistake is confusing "laid" with "layed" (which is incorrect) or misusing "laid" for "lay," the present tense of the verb.
What is the main difference between laid and lade?
Laid is the past tense of "lay," commonly used to indicate placing something down, while lade is an archaic term for loading, particularly ships.
Is there a modern equivalent to lade?
The modern equivalent to lade is "load."
Can lade still be used in modern English?
Lade is mostly used in historical or literary contexts and is considered archaic in everyday language.
Is there any context where lade is still regularly used?
Lade is still occasionally used in poetic or nautical contexts, where traditional language is often preserved.
Why is lade considered archaic?
Lade is considered archaic because its usage has largely fallen out of everyday English, replaced by more contemporary terms like "load."
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
