Meaning & use
lay down
To put something down flat, or to state a rule or principle firmly and officially.
See it in a sentence
The coach laid down strict rules about curfew before the start of the season.
She laid down her pen and stretched after finishing the final exam question.
A note on using this word
'Lay down the law' is a common idiom meaning to state rules very firmly, distinct from the literal sense of placing an object down.
Words with a similar meaning
establishsetplace
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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