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Lay vs Keep - What's the difference?

lay | keep |

As a proper noun lay

is a river in western france.

As a verb keep is

to continue in (a course or mode of action); not to intermit or fall from; to maintain.

As a noun keep is

(obsolete) care, notice.

lay

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) layen, leggen, from (etyl) .

Verb

  • (label) 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.
  • * Bible, (w) vi. 17
  • A stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den.
  • * 1735 , author unknown, The New-England Primer'', as reported by Fred R. Shapiro in ''The Yale Book of Quotations (2006), Yale University Press, pages 549–550:
  • Now I lay me down to sleep, / I pray the Lord my Soul to keep. / If I should die before I ’wake, / I pray the Lord my Soul to take.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1 , passage=He used to drop into my chambers once in a while to smoke, and was first-rate company. When I gave a dinner there was generally a cover laid for him.}}
  • *
  • *:An indulgent playmate, Grannie would lay aside the long scratchy-looking letter she was writing (heavily crossed ‘to save notepaper’) and enter into the delightful pastime of ‘a chicken from Mr Whiteley's’.
  • :: A corresponding intransitive version of this word is .
  • To cause to subside or abate.
  • * 1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queene) , II.viii:
  • The cloudes, as things affrayd, before him flye; / But all so soone as his outrageous powre / Is layd , they fiercely then begin to shoure
  • * 1662 , , Galileo's Dialogue Concerning the Two World Systems , Dialogue 2:
  • But how upon the winds being laid , doth the ship cease to move?
  • (label) To prepare (a plan, project etc.); to set out, establish (a law, principle).
  • * 2006 , (Clive James), North Face of Soho , Picador 2007, p. 48:
  • Even when I lay a long plan, it is never in the expectation that I will live to see it fulfilled.
  • (label) To install certain building materials, laying one thing on top of another.
  • lay''' brick;  '''lay flooring
  • (label) To produce and deposit an egg.
  • (label) To bet (that something is or is not the case).
  • I'll lay that he doesn't turn up on Monday.
  • (label) To deposit (a stake) as a wager; to stake; to risk.
  • * (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • I dare lay mine honour / He will remain so.
  • To have sex with.
  • * 1944 , (Raymond Chandler), The Lady in the Lake , Penguin 2011, p. 11:
  • ‘It's because he's a no-good son of a bitch who thinks it is smart to lay his friends' wives and brag about it.’
  • (label) To take a position; to come or go.
  • to lay''' forward;  to '''lay aloft
  • (label) To state; to allege.
  • to lay the venue
    (Bouvier)
  • (label) To point; to aim.
  • to lay a gun
  • (label) 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
  • (label) To place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone.
  • (label) To place (new type) properly in the cases.
  • To apply; to put.
  • * Bible, (w) xxxi. 19
  • She layeth her hands to the spindle.
  • To impose (a burden, punishment, command, tax, etc.).
  • to lay a tax on land
  • * Bible, (w) liii. 6
  • The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
  • To impute; to charge; to allege.
  • * Bible, (w) xxiv. 12
  • God layeth not folly to them.
  • * (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • Lay the fault on us.
  • To present or offer.
  • to lay''' an indictment in a particular county;   to '''lay a scheme before one
    (Webster 1913)
    Derived terms
    * lay a finger on * lay a foundation * lay an egg * lay about * lay away * lay bare * lay-by/lay by * lay claim * lay down * lay hands on * lay-in * laying on of hands * lay into * lay low * layoff * lay on the line * lay on the table * lay out * lay siege * lay the groundwork * lay to rest * lay up * lay waste * get laid

    References

    *

    Etymology 2

    From the verb.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Arrangement or relationship; layout.
  • the lay of the land
  • A share of the profits in a business.
  • * 1851 ,
  • I was already aware that in the whaling business they paid no wages; but all hands, including the captain, received certain shares of the profits called lays', and that these ' lays were proportioned to the degree of importance pertaining to the respective duties of the ship’s company.
  • The direction a rope is twisted.
  • Worm and parcel with the lay ; turn and serve the other way.
  • (colloquial) A casual sexual partner.
  • * 1996 , JoAnn Ross, Southern Comforts , MIRA (1996), ISBN 9780778315254, page 166:
  • Over the years she'd tried to tell himself that his uptown girl was just another lay .
  • * 2000 , R. J. Kaiser, Fruitcake , MIRA (2000), ISBN 1551666251, page 288:
  • To find a place like that and be discreet about it, Jones figured he needed help, so he went to see his favorite lay , Juan Carillo's woman, Carmen.
  • * 2011 , Kelly Meding, Trance , Pocket Books (2011), ISBN 9781451620924, pages 205-206:
  • “Because I don't want William to be just another lay . I did the slut thing, T, and it got me into a lot of trouble years ago.
    What was I, just another lay you can toss aside as you go on to your next conquest?
  • (colloquial) An act of sexual intercourse.
  • * 1993 , David Halberstam, The Fifties , Open Road Integrated Media (2012), ISBN 9781453286074, unnumbered page:
  • Listening to this dismissal of his work, [Tennessee] Williams thought to himself of Wilder, “This character has never had a good lay .”
  • * 2009 , Fern Michaels, The Scoop , Kensington Books (2009), ISBN 9780758227188, pages 212-213:
  • She didn't become this germ freak until Thomas died. I wonder if she just needs a good lay , you know, an all-nighter?" Toots said thoughtfully.
  • * 2011 , Pamela Yaye, Promises We Make , Kimani Press (2011), ISBN 9780373861996, unnumbered page:
  • “What she needs is a good lay . If she had someone to rock her world on a regular basis, she wouldn't be such a raging bit—”
  • (slang, archaic) A plan; a scheme.
  • (Charles Dickens)
    Synonyms
    * (casual sexual partner) see also .
    Derived terms
    * lay of the land

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) laie, lawe, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A lake.
  • Etymology 4

    From (etyl)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Non-professional; not being a member of an organized institution.
  • * {{quote-book
  • , year=1960 , author= , title=(Jeeves in the Offing) , section=chapter VII , passage=He hasn't caught a mouse since he was a slip of a kitten. Except when eating, he does nothing but sleep. [...] It's a sort of disease. There's a scientific name for it. Trau- something. Traumatic symplegia, that's it. This cat has traumatic symplegia. In other words, putting it in simple language adapted to the lay mind, where other cats are content to get their eight hours, Augustus wants his twenty-four.}}
  • Not belonging to the clergy, but associated with them.
  • They seemed more lay than clerical.
    a lay''' preacher; a '''lay brother
  • (obsolete) Not educated or cultivated; ignorant.
  • Etymology 5

    : See lie

    Verb

    (head)
  • (lie) when pertaining to position.
  • The baby lay in its crib and slept silently.
  • (proscribed) To be in a horizontal position; to lie (from confusion with lie).
  • * 1969' July, Bob Dylan, “'''Lay''' Lady '''Lay ”, ''Nashville Skyline , Columbia:
  • Lay', lady, '''lay'''. / ' Lay across my big brass bed.
  • * a.'' 1970 , Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, “The Boxer”, ''Bridge over Troubled Water , Columbia Records:
  • Laying low, seeking out the poorer quarters / Where the ragged people go
  • * 1974 , John Denver, “Annie’s Song”, Back Home Again , RCA:
  • Let me lay down beside you. / Let me always be with you.
    Derived terms
    * layabout

    Etymology 6

    From (etyl) lay, from (etyl) . See lake.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A ballad or sung poem; a short poem or narrative, usually intended to be sung.
  • 1805' ''The '''Lay of the Last Minstrel , Sir Walter Scott.
    Derived terms
    * layoff

    Etymology 7

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A meadow; a lea.
  • (Dryden)

    Etymology 8

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A law.
  • * Spenser
  • many goodly lays
  • (obsolete) An obligation; a vow.
  • * Holland
  • They bound themselves by a sacred lay and oath.

    Etymology 9

    .

    Verb

  • To don (put on) (tefillin (gloss)).
  • Statistics

    *

    keep

    English

    Verb

  • To continue in (a course or mode of action); not to intermit or fall from; to maintain.
  • :
  • *(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • *:Both day and night did we keep company.
  • *(Tobias Smollett) (1721–1771)
  • *:within the portal as I kept my watch
  • To hold the status of something.
  • #To maintain possession of.
  • #:
  • #To maintain the condition of.
  • #:
  • #:
  • #*
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=10 , passage=Mr. Cooke had had a sloop?yacht built at Far Harbor, the completion of which had been delayed, and which was but just delivered.
  • #*{{quote-book, year=1935, author= George Goodchild
  • , title=Death on the Centre Court, chapter=1 , passage=She mixed furniture with the same fatal profligacy as she mixed drinks, and this outrageous contact between things which were intended by Nature to be kept poles apart gave her an inexpressible thrill.}}
  • #(lb) To record transactions, accounts, or events in.
  • #:
  • #(lb) To enter (accounts, records, etc.) in a book.
  • #(label) To remain in, to be confined to.
  • #*1605 , (William Shakespeare), (King Lear) , III.ii,
  • #*:The wrathful skies / Gallow the very wanderers of the dark / And make them keep their caves.
  • #To restrain.
  • #:
  • # To watch over, look after, guard, protect.
  • #:
  • #*1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queene) , II.viii:
  • #*:cursse on thy cruell hond, / That twise hath sped; yet shall it not thee keepe / From the third brunt of this my fatall brond.
  • #To supply with necessities and financially support a person.
  • #:
  • #(lb) To raise; to care for.
  • #:
  • #*1914 , Robert Joos, Success with Hens , Forbes & company, p.217:
  • #*:Of course boys are boys and need watching, but there is little watching necessary when they keep chickens.
  • #*{{quote-news, year=2011, date=December 14, author=Steven Morris, work=(The Guardian), title= Devon woman jailed for 168 days for killing kitten in microwave
  • , passage=Jailing her on Wednesday, magistrate Liz Clyne told Robins: "You have shown little remorse either for the death of the kitten or the trauma to your former friend Sarah Knutton." She was also banned from keeping animals for 10 years.}}
  • #To maintain (an establishment or institution); to conduct; to manage.
  • #*(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • #*:like a pedant that keeps a school
  • #*Sir (c.1564-1627)
  • #*:They were honourably brought to London, where every one of them kept house by himself.
  • #*
  • #*:At half-past nine on this Saturday evening, the parlour of the Salutation Inn, High Holborn, contained most of its customary visitors.In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for its own select circle, a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening, for a pipe and a cheerful glass.
  • #To have habitually in stock for sale.
  • To hold or be held in a state.
  • #(lb) To reside for a time; to lodge; to dwell.
  • #:
  • #*(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • #*:Knock at his study, where, they say, he keeps .
  • #To continue.
  • #:
  • #*, chapter=22
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=Not unnaturally, “Auntie” took this communication in bad part.
  • #*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-28, author=(Joris Luyendijk)
  • , volume=189, issue=3, page=21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Our banks are out of control , passage=Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic
  • #To remain edible or otherwise usable.
  • #:
  • #:
  • #*1707 , John Mortimer], ''[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=8xUAAAAAQAAJ&redir_esc=y The Whole Art of Husbandry
  • #*:If the malt be not thoroughly dried, the ale it makes will not keep .
  • #(lb) To remain in a state.
  • #:
  • #:
  • (lb) To wait for, keep watch for.
  • *:
  • *:And thenne whan the damoysel knewe certaynly that he was not syre launcelot / thenne she took her leue and departed from hym / And thenne syre Trystram rode pryuely vnto the posterne where kepte hym la beale Isoud / and there she made hym good chere and thanked god of his good spede
  • To act as wicket-keeper.
  • :
  • To take care; to be solicitous; to watch.
  • *(William Tyndale) (1494-1536)
  • *:Keep that the lusts choke not the word of God that is in us.
  • To be in session; to take place.
  • :
  • (lb) To observe; to adhere to; to fulfill; not to swerve from or violate.
  • *Bible, iv. 7
  • *:I have kept the faith.
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:Him whom to love is to obey, and keep / His great command.
  • To confine oneself to; not to quit; to remain in.
  • :
  • To visit (a place) often; to frequent.
  • * (1579-1625)
  • *:'Tis hallowed ground; / Fairies, and fawns, and satyrs do it keep .
  • Synonyms

    * (maintain possession of) retain * (maintain the condition of) preserve, protect

    Derived terms

    (keep) * keep-away * keep around * keep at * keep away * keep back * keep down * keep faith * keep fit * keep from * keep going * keep in mind * keep it down * keep it on the barber pole * keep it real * keep it up * keep mum * keep off * keep on * keep on truckin' * keep one's cards close to one's chest * keep one's cool * keep one's eye on the ball * keep one's eyes peeled * keep one's head * keep one's head above water * keep one's lips sealed * keep one's peace * keep one on one's toes * keep oneself to oneself * keep out * keep out of * keep quiet * keep shtum * keep somebody in stitches * keep somebody posted * keep someone in the loop * keep straight * keep tabs on * keep the peace * keep the wolf from the door * keep track * keep up * keep up with * keep wicket * keep with * keep your pecker up * keep one's hair on * keep one's shirt on * keepalive * keepie-uppie/keepy-uppy * keepnet * keepsake

    Noun

    (wikipedia keep) (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Care, notice
  • *:
  • *:So Sir Gareth strayned hym so that his olde wounde braste ayen on bledynge; but he was hote and corragyous and toke no kepe , but with his grete forse he strake downe the knyght.
  • (historical) The main tower of a castle or fortress, located within the castle walls. (According to , the word comes "from the Middle English term kype , meaning basket or cask, and was a term applied to the shell keep at Guînes, said to resemble a barrel".)
  • The food or money required to keep someone alive and healthy; one's support, maintenance.
  • :He works as a cobbler's apprentice for his keep .
  • The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed; charge.
  • *Spenser
  • *:Pan, thou god of shepherds all, / Which of our tender lambkins takest keep .
  • The state of being kept; hence, the resulting condition; case.
  • :to be in good keep
  • (obsolete) That which is kept in charge; a charge.
  • *Spenser
  • *:Often he used of his keep / A sacrifice to bring.
  • (engineering) A cap for holding something, such as a journal box, in place.
  • Derived terms

    * earn one's keep

    See also

    * donjon

    Statistics

    *