to lay upon

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to lay upon" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to imposing a burden, responsibility, or requirement on someone or something. Example: "The new regulations will lay upon the company additional compliance requirements that must be met."

✓ Grammatically correct

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

They concluded that "it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity" (Acts 15:28).

Encyclopedia Britannica

There are larger areas in the park to observe that serve as a landscape for the petrified wood to lay upon.

Huffington Post

I doubt anyone in Google even has the patience to accept the kind of black holes in time and space that both Apple and Microsoft seem to lay upon us as users as "necessary overhead" in their functionality.

Huffington Post

During the simulations of analog W4 OMW A9, the methyl group of Trp4 is frequently found to lay upon the Cys2-Cys12 disulfide bridge, and this leads to increased intramolecular nonpolar interactions between Trp4 and Cys2-Cys12.

ACS Synthetic Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The word incubus is derived from the Latin incubus ("nightmare") and incubare ("to lie upon, weigh upon, brood").

Encyclopedia Britannica

Bray's "cottages wreathed with flowers" were noted, as well as its "fortune to lie upon no highway save the river".

The New York Times

Thus when stories spread of Pakistani military barbarity in the campaign against the Taliban in Pakistan – reports which included the execution of Taliban prisoners in Waziristan, whose bodies were left to lie upon the roads to be eaten by animals – the more certain became the revenge of the Taliban.

Independent

When a Jain monk volunteers to lie upon a bed infested with vermin that suck his blood, he may do so to diminish a client's or patron's burden of bad karma (the notion that every deed, good or bad, receives due reward or retribution), but at the same time he practices the monastic virtues prescribed for him as a monk.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The method firstly utilizes anonymous road set S to determine all possible roads, S={e1,⋯2,e,e i,⋯,e n }, and respectively assumes the requested user U k to lie upon road e i, where i=1,2,⋯,n, then utilizes the anonymous algorithm to process each assumption.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

She told the court she "saw nothing brought up[, but w]hen day-light appeared, I could see about the room; there was a fire-place and a grate in it, no bed nor bedstead, nothing but hay to lie upon; there was a black pitcher not quite full of water, and about twenty-four pieces of bread... about a quartern loaf".

Wikipedia

In non-conservative systems, chaotic trajectories are restricted to lie upon either strange attractors or chaotic saddles.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "to lay upon", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being imposed or placed. Consider whether a more direct synonym like "impose" or "place" might be clearer for your audience.

Common error

Avoid using "to lay upon" in contexts where a simpler verb like "place", "put", or "rest" would suffice. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound unnecessarily formal or convoluted.

Linguistic Context

To lay upon functions as a verb phrase. It is often used to describe the act of placing a burden, responsibility, or emphasis on someone or something. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English, as shown by the examples provided.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

25%

Encyclopedias

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Wiki

17%

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "to lay upon" is grammatically sound and functions to convey the act of imposing or placing something significant. While recognized by Ludwig AI as usable in English, it's a relatively uncommon phrase, often found in encyclopedias, news media, and scientific contexts. When writing, be mindful of the potential for simpler alternatives and ensure that its formal tone aligns with your intended audience. Its effectiveness hinges on clear communication and appropriate formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to impose on

This alternative is a direct and common synonym, emphasizing the act of placing a burden or obligation.

to place upon

This alternative is very similar in meaning, focusing on the physical act of placing or positioning something.

to burden with

This alternative focuses specifically on the act of adding a responsibility or weight.

to entrust to

This alternative suggests giving someone responsibility or care, highlighting delegation.

to rest upon

This alternative emphasizes reliance or dependence on something for support or validity.

to ascribe to

This alternative implies attributing a quality or characteristic to something.

to attribute to

Similar to 'ascribe', this focuses on crediting or assigning something to a cause or origin.

to depend on

This alternative emphasizes reliance on something for a particular outcome or action.

to pile on

This suggests adding something excessively or overwhelmingly, often in a negative context.

to inflict on

This alternative carries a negative connotation, implying the imposition of something harmful or unpleasant.

FAQs

How can I use "to lay upon" in a sentence?

You can use "to lay upon" to describe imposing something on someone or something. For example, "The council decided to "lay upon" the residents a new tax to fund the project".

What's the difference between "to lay upon" and "to impose on"?

Both "to lay upon" and "to impose on" can refer to placing a burden or obligation. "To impose on" is often more direct and commonly used. "To lay upon" can sound slightly more formal or archaic, but they are largely interchangeable in many contexts.

What are some alternatives to "to lay upon"?

Alternatives to "to lay upon" include "to place upon", "to impose on", and "to burden with". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired nuance.

Is "to lay upon" formal or informal?

"To lay upon" tends to be more formal than simpler alternatives like "to put on" or "to place on". Its formality level makes it suitable for formal writing, legal documents, or when you want to add a sense of weight or significance.