Lay vs. Poem — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Lay and Poem
ADVERTISEMENT
Compare with Definitions
Lay
Put (something) down gently or carefully
She laid the baby in his cot
Poem
A verbal composition designed to convey experiences, ideas, or emotions in a vivid and imaginative way, characterized by the use of language chosen for its sound and suggestive power and by the use of literary techniques such as meter, metaphor, and rhyme.
Lay
Put down and set in position for use
It is advisable to have your carpet laid by a professional
Poem
A composition in verse rather than in prose
Wrote both prose and poems.
Lay
Used with an abstract noun so that the phrase formed has the same meaning as the verb related to the noun used, e.g. ‘lay the blame on’ means ‘to blame’
She laid great stress on little courtesies
ADVERTISEMENT
Poem
A literary composition written with an intensity or beauty of language more characteristic of poetry than of prose.
Lay
(of a female bird, insect, reptile, or amphibian) produce (an egg) from inside the body
The hens were laying at the same rate as usual
Flamingos lay only one egg
Poem
A literary piece written in verse.
Lay
Have sex with.
Poem
A piece of writing in the tradition of poetry, an instance of poetry.
Lay
Follow (a specified course)
I'm going to lay a course for Ibiza harbour
Poem
A piece of poetic writing, that is with an intensity or depth of expression or inspiration greater than is usual in prose.
Lay
Trim (a hedge) back, cutting the branches half through, bending them down, and interweaving them
Most hedges are no longer laid
Poem
A metrical composition; a composition in verse written in certain measures, whether in blank verse or in rhyme, and characterized by imagination and poetic diction; - contradistinguished from prose; as, the poems of Homer or of Milton.
Lay
The general appearance of an area of land
The lay of the surrounding countryside
Poem
A composition, not in verse, of which the language is highly imaginative or impassioned; as, a prose poem; the poems of Ossian.
Lay
An act of sexual intercourse.
Poem
A composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines
Lay
The laying of eggs or the period during which they are laid
The onset of lay may be marked by a dropping of the duck's abdomen
Lay
A short lyric or narrative poem meant to be sung
A minstrel recited a series of lays
Lay
Not ordained into or belonging to the clergy
A lay preacher
Lay
Not having professional qualifications or expert knowledge, especially in law or medicine
A lay member of the Health Authority
Lay
To cause to lie down
Lay a child in its crib.
Lay
To place in or bring to a particular position
Lay the cloth over the painting.
Lay
To bury.
Lay
To cause to be in a particular condition
The remark laid him open to criticism.
Lay
To put or set down
Lay new railroad track.
Lay
To produce and deposit
Lay eggs.
Lay
To cause to subside; calm or allay
"chas'd the clouds ... and laid the winds" (John Milton).
Lay
To put up to or against something
Lay an ear to the door.
Lay
To put forward as a reproach or an accusation
They laid the blame on us.
Lay
To put or set in order or readiness for use
Lay the table for lunch.
Lay
To devise; contrive
Lay plans.
Lay
To spread over a surface
Lay paint on a canvas.
Lay
To place or give (importance)
Lay stress on clarity of expression.
Lay
To impose as a burden or punishment
Lay a penalty upon the offender.
Lay
To present for examination
Lay a case before a committee.
Lay
To put forward as a demand or an assertion
Laid claim to the estate.
Lay
(Games) To place (a bet); wager.
Lay
To aim (a gun or cannon).
Lay
To place together (strands) to be twisted into rope.
Lay
To make in this manner
Lay up cable.
Lay
Vulgar Slang To have sexual intercourse with.
Lay
To produce and deposit eggs.
Lay
To bet; wager.
Lay
(Nonstandard) To lie.
Lay
(Nautical) To put oneself into the position indicated.
Lay
Past tense of lie1.
Lay
The direction the strands of a rope or cable are twisted in
A left lay.
Lay
The amount of such twist.
Lay
The state of one that lays eggs
A hen coming into lay.
Lay
Sexual intercourse.
Lay
A partner in sexual intercourse.
Lay
A narrative poem, such as one sung by medieval minstrels; a ballad.
Lay
A song; a tune.
Lay
Of, relating to, or involving the laity
A lay preacher.
Lay
Not of or belonging to a particular profession; nonprofessional
A lay opinion as to the seriousness of the disease.
Lay
(transitive) To place down in a position of rest, or in a horizontal position.
To lay a book on the table;
To lay a body in the grave
A shower of rain lays the dust.
Lay
To cause to subside or abate.
Lay
(transitive) To prepare (a plan, project etc.); to set out, establish (a law, principle).
Lay
(transitive) To install certain building materials, laying one thing on top of another.
Lay brick;
Lay flooring
Lay
(transitive) To produce and deposit an egg.
The hen laid an egg
Did dinosaurs lay their eggs in a nest?
Lay
(transitive) To bet (that something is or is not the case).
I'll lay that he doesn't turn up on Monday.
Lay
(transitive) To deposit (a stake) as a wager; to stake; to risk.
Lay
To have sex with.
Lay
(nautical) To take a position; to come or go.
To lay forward;
To lay aloft
Lay
(legal) To state; to allege.
To lay the venue
Lay
(military) To point; to aim.
To lay a gun
Lay
(ropemaking) To put the strands of (a rope, a cable, etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them.
To lay a cable or rope
Lay
(printing) To place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone.
Lay
(printing) To place (new type) properly in the cases.
Lay
To apply; to put.
Lay
To impose (a burden, punishment, command, tax, etc.).
To lay a tax on land
Lay
To impute; to charge; to allege.
Lay
To present or offer.
To lay an indictment in a particular county
I have laid the facts of the matter before you.
Lay
To lie: to rest in a horizontal position on a surface.
I found him laying on the floor.
Lay
When pertaining to position.
The baby lay in its crib and slept silently.
Lay
(proscribed) To be in a horizontal position; to lie (from confusion with lie).
Lay
To don or put on (tefillin phylacteries]]).
Lay
Arrangement or relationship; layout.
The lay of the land
Lay
A share of the profits in a business.
Lay
The direction a rope is twisted.
Worm and parcel with the lay; turn and serve the other way.
Lay
(colloquial) A casual sexual partner.
What was I, just another lay you can toss aside as you go on to your next conquest?
Lay
(colloquial) An act of sexual intercourse.
Lay
A place or activity where someone spends a significant portion of their time.
Lay
The laying of eggs.
The hens are off the lay at present.
Lay
(obsolete) A layer.
Lay
(obsolete) A basis or ground.
Lay
A lake.
Lay
A ballad or sung poem; a short poem or narrative, usually intended to be sung.
Lay
A lyrical, narrative poem written in octosyllabic couplets that often deals with tales of adventure and romance.
Lay
(obsolete) A meadow; a lea.
Lay
(obsolete) A law.
Lay
(obsolete) An obligation; a vow.
Lay
Not belonging to the clergy, but associated with them.
They seemed more lay than clerical.
A lay preacher; a lay brother
Lay
Non-professional; not being a member of an organized institution.
Lay
(card games) Not trumps.
A lay suit
Lay
(obsolete) Not educated or cultivated; ignorant.
Lay
Of Lie, to recline.
Lay
Of or pertaining to the laity, as distinct from the clergy; as, a lay person; a lay preacher; a lay brother.
Lay
Not educated or cultivated; ignorant.
Lay
Not belonging to, or emanating from, a particular profession; unprofessional; as, a lay opinion regarding the nature of a disease.
Lay
A song; a simple lyrical poem; a ballad.
Lay
A melody; any musical utterance.
The throstle cock made eke his lay.
Lay
The laity; the common people.
The learned have no more privilege than the lay.
Lay
A meadow. See Lea.
Lay
Faith; creed; religious profession.
Of the sect to which that he was bornHe kept his lay, to which that he was sworn.
Lay
A law.
Lay
An obligation; a vow.
They bound themselves by a sacred lay and oath.
Lay
That which lies or is laid or is conceived of as having been laid or placed in its position; a row; a stratum; a layer; as, a lay of stone or wood.
A viol should have a lay of wire strings below.
Lay
A wager.
Lay
A job, price, or profit.
Lay
A measure of yarn; a lea. See 1st Lea (a).
Lay
A plan; a scheme.
Lay
To cause to lie down, to be prostrate, or to lie against something; to put or set down; to deposit; as, to lay a book on the table; to lay a body in the grave; a shower lays the dust.
A stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den.
Soft on the flowery herb I found me laid.
Lay
To place in position; to establish firmly; to arrange with regularity; to dispose in ranks or tiers; as, to lay a corner stone; to lay bricks in a wall; to lay the covers on a table.
Lay
To prepare; to make ready; to contrive; to provide; as, to lay a snare, an ambush, or a plan.
Lay
To spread on a surface; as, to lay plaster or paint.
Lay
To cause to be still; to calm; to allay; to suppress; to exorcise, as an evil spirit.
After a tempest when the winds are laid.
Lay
To cause to lie dead or dying.
Brave Cæneus laid Ortygius on the plain,The victor Cæneus was by Turnus slain.
Lay
To deposit, as a wager; to stake; to risk.
I dare lay mine honorHe will remain so.
Lay
To bring forth and deposit; as, to lay eggs.
Lay
To apply; to put.
She layeth her hands to the spindle.
Lay
To impose, as a burden, suffering, or punishment; to assess, as a tax; as, to lay a tax on land.
The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Lay
To impute; to charge; to allege.
God layeth not folly to them.
Lay the fault on us.
Lay
To impose, as a command or a duty; as, to lay commands on one.
Lay
To present or offer; as, to lay an indictment in a particular county; to lay a scheme before one.
Lay
To state; to allege; as, to lay the venue.
Lay
To point; to aim; as, to lay a gun.
Lay
To put the strands of (a rope, a cable, etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them; as, to lay a cable or rope.
Lay
To place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone.
And laid those proud roofs bare to summer's rain.
Let brave spirits . . . not be laid by.
No selfish man will be concerned to lay out himself for the good of his country.
Lay
To produce and deposit eggs.
Lay
To take a position; to come or go; as, to lay forward; to lay aloft.
Lay
To lay a wager; to bet.
Lay
A narrative song with a recurrent refrain
Lay
A narrative poem of popular origin
Lay
Put into a certain place or abstract location;
Put your things here
Set the tray down
Set the dogs on the scent of the missing children
Place emphasis on a certain point
Lay
Put in a horizontal position;
Lay the books on the table
Lay the patient carefully onto the bed
Lay
Prepare or position for action or operation;
Lay a fire
Lay the foundation for a new health care plan
Lay
Lay eggs;
This hen doesn't lay
Lay
Impose as a duty, burden, or punishment;
Lay a responsibility on someone
Lay
Concerning those not members of the clergy;
Set his collar in laic rather than clerical position
The lay ministry
The choir sings both sacred and secular music
Lay
Not of or from a profession;
A lay opinion as to the cause of the disease
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Caribbean vs. Bahamas
Next Comparison
Doctoral vs. Doctorial
