Definition

1. Noun:
   • A specific type of basketball shot: A "lay-up" is a close-range shot in basketball, typically attempted by leaping from below the basket and using one hand to lay the ball up onto the backboard so it can rebound into the basket.

Usage

• The term "lay-up" is used primarily in the context of basketball to describe a fundamental scoring shot. It is considered one of the highest-percentage shots in the game.
• It functions as a countable noun (e.g., , ).

Examples

• Noun:
  • He missed an easy lay-up in the final seconds of the game.
  • Practicing your left-hand lay-up is essential for a complete offensive game.
  • She drove past the defender for a simple lay-up.

Advanced Usage

• "to make/miss a lay-up": The most common collocations for describing the success or failure of this shot.
  • The point guard missed a crucial lay-up that would have tied the game.
• "lay-up drill": A common basketball practice exercise focused on improving this shot.
  • The team started practice with basic lay-up drills.

Variants and Related Words

• Layup (noun): An alternative, often unhyphenated, spelling of "lay-up".
  • "Layup" is the more common spelling in modern basketball commentary.
• Lay in (noun/phrasal verb): A very similar shot to a lay-up, sometimes used interchangeably, though a "lay in" may not always involve using the backboard.
  • He scored on a graceful finger-roll lay in.

Synonyms

• Close-range shot: A general term for any shot taken near the basket.
• Basket: Can informally refer to a made shot, including a lay-up (e.g., ).

Related Phrases

• "Finger roll": A specific, finesse-oriented type of lay-up where the ball is rolled off the fingertips.
  • The guard finished with a soft finger roll instead of a standard lay-up.
• "Reverse lay-up": A more advanced variation where the shooter goes under the basket and lays the ball up on the opposite side of the rim.
  • She avoided the shot-blocker with a difficult reverse lay-up.

Notes

• The term "lay-up" in basketball is distinct from its other meanings (e.g., in manufacturing or sailing, referring to a period of inactivity or storage). In a sports context, it refers exclusively to this basketball shot.

Noun

1. a basketball shot made with one hand from a position under or beside the basket (and usually banked off the backboard)