lay out
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle out
Meanings
Spread or arrange items so they can be seen
Why “out”? Something comes into the open. People can see it, know it, or understand it.
“The cafe worker laid out fresh pastries before Maya and Leo ordered at the counter.”
“She laid out the documents.”
“He laid out the tools on the floor.”
“Maya laid out three printed charts for the office team to see during the presentation.”
“Leo laid out the tickets and bags before their weekend train trip.”
Don't confuse with
Lay out means arrange things so people can see them. Lay up means make someone stay in bed because they are ill.
Test yourself
“The cafe worker laid out fresh pastries before Maya and Leo ordered at the counter.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
lay up
A contrast learners often mix up
Force someone to stay in bed because of illness or injury
bear out
Same out pattern: becoming clear
Provide evidence that confirms what someone has said
break out
Same out pattern: becoming clear
(of war, fire or disease) Start suddenly; Escape from a locked or guarded place
bring out
Same out pattern: becoming clear
Make a quality or feature more obvious; Publish or launch a new product; Cause a particular response or behaviour in someone; Take something out of a container or place to show it; Encourage a shy person to be more confident
call out
Same out pattern: becoming clear
Shout something loudly or summon services
check out
Same out pattern: becoming clear
Leave a hotel after paying; Look at or examine
come out
Same out pattern: becoming clear
Be revealed publicly
dig out
Same out pattern: becoming clear
Find something by searching through other things
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice “lay out” in Sink In
Drill “lay out” and 1,300+ other phrasal verbs with spaced repetition, organised by the particle patterns that connect them.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
