laid outside

USAGE SUMMARY

"laid outside" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that has been placed or located outdoors. For example: The picnic blanket was laid outside on the grass, ready for the guests to enjoy.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

Hundreds are gathered outside Mr Mandela's home in Johannesburg's northern suburb of Houghton where he died, and thousands of flowers laid outside have begun to resemble a wall.

BBC

As the funeral began and shots of a million flowers laid outside Kensington Palace filled the screen, the whole fake laughing thing was really driving me mad – the Janet Street Porter cackle of condescension is as bad as the earnest X Factor sob story.

Vice

Broken glass was deliberately laid outside the home of Exeter's vice-chancellor, Steve Smith.

Independent

In some vertebrates, such as fish, eggs are laid outside of the body and fertilized externally.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Adding a simple wire partition to the scratch area resulted in more eggs being laid outside the nest, but facilitated more settled nesting behaviour.

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Tributes in the shape of shirts, scarves and flowers have been laid outside the stadium's main reception.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

If it is a three-hour bath or laying outside naked for an hour or two.

Huffington Post

Just as you would when laying outside in the sun, you want to adjust your body so that all parts are being exposed to the light for about the same amount of time.

WikiHow

Thanks to suitable digital signal processing techniques, spurious components laying outside the selected bandwidth are hardly attenuated.

Measurement

As can be seen in Fig. 4a, a linear relationship was observed between DTT electronic properties and GSH induction, with only two molecules, 4b and 5c, laying outside of the curve (r2 = 0.7969 with 4b and 5c omitted).

Chemistry Central Journal

"To see 4,000 naked men laying outside on a Sunday afternoon...it's kind of inconceivable today".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing tributes or memorials, "laid outside" can effectively convey the public's act of placing items in remembrance, for example, "Flowers were "laid outside" the embassy."

Common error

Avoid confusing "lay" with "lie". "Lay" requires a direct object (e.g., "They laid the wreath outside"), while "lie" means to recline or be in a resting position (e.g., "He was lying outside"). The past tense of "lay" is "laid", while the past tense of "lie" is "lay".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "laid outside" functions as a verb phrase followed by an adverb, indicating the action of placing something in an external location. Ludwig AI shows its uses in describing the positioning of objects, particularly in commemorative contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Science

18%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

3%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "laid outside" is a grammatically correct construction used to describe the placement of something in an external environment. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's frequently observed in news and media sources when describing tributes or commemorative acts. While the phrase is not overly common, understanding its proper use helps in conveying precise and accurate descriptions. Remember to distinguish between "lay" and "lie" to prevent common errors. Exploring alternatives such as "placed outdoors" or "situated outside" can provide variety in writing, but keep in mind "laid outside" is best when emphasizing deliberate placement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

placed outdoors

Focuses on the action of putting something in an exterior location.

set outdoors

Similar to placed outdoors, but can imply a more temporary arrangement.

positioned externally

Emphasizes the external location in a more formal tone.

situated outside

Highlights the location or setting as being external.

arranged outdoors

This implies an organized or deliberate placement of items in an outdoor setting.

deposited externally

Formal and precise term for placing something on an exterior surface or area.

displayed externally

Highlights the act of exhibiting something in an outside area.

left outside

Implies a lack of action in moving something and letting it stay where it is.

scattered outside

Suggests a non-uniform distribution in the outdoors.

located in open air

Focuses on the open environment as the key location

FAQs

What does "laid outside" mean?

The phrase "laid outside" means something has been placed or positioned in an external or outdoor location. It's commonly used to describe items like flowers or tributes left at a specific site.

How can I use "laid outside" in a sentence?

You can use "laid outside" to describe where an item or object was placed, such as, "Floral tributes were "laid outside" the stadium in memory of the victims."

What are some alternatives to saying "laid outside"?

Some alternatives include "placed outdoors", "positioned externally", or "situated outside", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "lying outside" instead of "laid outside"?

While "lying outside" is grammatically correct, it has a different meaning. "Lying outside" refers to being in a reclined or resting position outdoors. For example, "He was lying outside in the sun". "Laid outside" implies someone placed something there.