lay for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lay for" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be a confusion with "lay down" or "wait for," but it does not have a clear meaning as it stands. Example: "I need to lay for a moment" does not convey a clear message.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

51 human-written examples

"Leave it lay for the birdies".

The New Yorker

He lay for a long time on the hard sand.

The New Yorker

There I lay for hours at a time, reading.

The Guardian - Travel

I lay for a while in the dry float room.

The Guardian - Travel

Brown died at the scene, where his body was lay for four and a half hours.

Independent

He crumpled to the ground, where he lay for a couple of minutes.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

Mr. Waits has sued Audi over imitations of his voice in commercials, and in 1993 he won a $2.5-million 2.5-milliont Frito-Lay for a Doritosuit.

The New York Times

Mr. Feld was almost 50 when he left his job as chief information officer at Frito-Lay for technology trouble-shooting.

The New York Times

Good for Frito-Lay for coming out with a compostable product, and shame on people for whining about the bag being too loud.

TechCrunch

Now, Milberg LLP is suing Frito-Lay for the same reason.

Huffington Post

We called Frito-Lay for comment but so far no word on if, or when, the flavor will make its way to the U.S. market.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "lay for" in formal writing. Instead, use "lie for" when referring to reclining or resting. For other contexts, consider alternatives like "wait for" or "stay for" to better convey your intended meaning.

Common error

The most common error is using "lay" when "lie" is grammatically correct. "Lay" requires a direct object (e.g., "lay the book down"), while "lie" does not (e.g., "I will lie down"). Remember that the past tense of "lie" is "lay", which adds to the confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lay for" is often grammatically incorrect. While examples exist, they frequently misuse "lay" in place of "lie", particularly when referring to reclining. When used to mean "wait", other prepositions are better suited. This aligns with Ludwig AI's assessment of incorrect usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

35%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "lay for" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. While Ludwig presents numerous examples of its use, particularly in News & Media and Scientific contexts, this does not validate its correctness. The primary issue lies in the misuse of "lay" instead of "lie" when referring to reclining, or the use of "lay for" when another preposition is needed. Correct alternatives include "lie down for", "wait for", or "remain for", depending on the intended meaning. As Ludwig AI indicates, attention to grammatical accuracy and context is crucial for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lie down for

Replaces "lay" with the correct form "lie" for expressing resting or reclining for a duration.

rest for

Suggests a period of relaxation or inactivity, replacing "lay" with "rest" to maintain the intended meaning.

wait for

Focuses on the aspect of anticipating or awaiting something, altering the verb to "wait" to suit contexts where expecting something is key.

stay for

Implies remaining in a place or condition for a certain time, swapping "lay" for "stay" to fit scenarios of dwelling.

remain for

Indicates continuing in a state or location over a period, using "remain" to convey a sense of persistence.

be positioned for

This suggests readiness or preparation, using "positioned" instead of "lay" for emphasis.

be situated for

Emphasizes location or placement over time, differing from "lay" by specifying "situated" for spatial context.

was available for

Highlights accessibility or readiness for use, contrasting with "lay" by stressing availability.

left for

Focuses on departure or abandonment for a purpose, changing "lay" to "left" to indicate movement away.

prepared for

Implies readiness or anticipation, differing from "lay" by emphasizing the act of getting ready.

FAQs

When should I use "lie" instead of "lay"?

"Lie" is used when indicating a state of reclining or resting, without an object. For example, "I will "lie down" for a while." "Lay" requires a direct object; for example, "I will "lay the book on the table"".

What are some alternatives to "lay for" in the context of waiting?

If you intend to convey waiting, use "wait for". For example, instead of saying "I will lay for the bus," say "I will "wait for the bus"".

Is "laid for" correct?

"Laid" is the past tense of "lay", which requires a direct object. For instance, "I "laid the foundation for" the project." It is not interchangeable with the past tense of "lie", which is "lay".

How can I avoid confusing "lay", "lie", and "laid"?

A simple trick is to remember that "lay" (to place something) always takes an object. If you can replace the word with "place", use "lay". If you mean to recline, use "lie", whose past tense is "lay". For example, if you're talking about resting, say "I "lay down yesterday"" (past tense of lie).