lay in
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (transitive) To acquire and keep a supply of something for future use; to store or put aside.
Usage
This verb is used to describe the action of obtaining and saving items, typically in larger quantities, in preparation for a future time when they will be needed. It implies planning and foresight.
Examples
- We need to lay in firewood before the cold weather arrives.
- She decided to lay in a good stock of canned goods before the hurricane season.
- The sailors laid in fresh water and provisions for their long voyage.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often carries a connotation of preparing for a period of scarcity, emergency, or seasonal change.
- It can be used figuratively for non-physical things, such as knowledge or experiences.
- He spent his youth laying in a wealth of knowledge about classical literature.
Variants and Related Words
- Lay by: A less common variant with a similar meaning of saving for the future.
- Stockpile (verb/noun): To accumulate a large stock of goods or materials.
- Accumulate: To gather or build up a supply over time.
Synonyms
Store up, stock up, accumulate, amass, put by, save, hoard (can have a negative connotation).
Phrasal Verbs
- Lay in is itself a phrasal verb. Its structure is separable: you can "lay supplies in" or "lay in supplies."
- Lay up: Has a similar meaning of storing for future use, especially in the context of saving money or storing a ship for the winter.
Related Idioms
- To lay in a store (of something): This is a more formal or literary way of expressing the same action.
- The squirrels were busy laying in a store of nuts for the winter.
Verb
- keep or lay aside for future use
- store grain for the winter
- The bear stores fat for the period of hibernation when he doesn't eat