---
title: laying — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «laying» in the school dictionary: Laying means putting something down, usually flat or carefully, like laying a book on a table. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# laying

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** hen, eggs, Laying, carpet, He, 6 hens · **What happens:** lay, mean, put down, make, come out, put · **To what, where:** something, book, table, eggs, body, plates · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«laying» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 9 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [laying in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/laying.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Laying means putting something down, usually flat or carefully, like laying a book on a table.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laying:m1:1
# text = Laying means putting something down, usually flat or carefully, like laying a book on a table.
1	Laying	lay	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	putting	put	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	xcomp	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obj	_	_
5	down	down	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	carefully	carefully	ADV	RB	_	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
13	laying	lay	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	conj	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
16	on	on	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lay** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **put down** *not said to happen* | gerund |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent something=Goal |
| 4 | **lay** | gerund |  | a book |  | a table |  |  | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent book=Theme on table=Destination |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A hen laying eggs is making eggs come out of her body.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laying:m2:1
# text = A hen laying eggs is making eggs come out of her body.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hen	hen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	laying	lay	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	acl	_	_
4	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	making	make	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
7	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	out	out	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lay** | gerund | a hen *not said here* | eggs |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent egg=Result |
| 2 | **make** | present · progressive | a hen | eggs |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **come out** | infinitive | eggs *not said here* | hen's body |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Patient body=Result |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Laying a table means putting plates, knives and forks on it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laying:m3:1
# text = Laying a table means putting plates, knives and forks on it.
1	Laying	lay	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	csubj	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	putting	put	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	xcomp	_	_
6	plates	plate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	knives	knife	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	forks	fork	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	_
11	on	on	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lay** | gerund |  | a table |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent table=Result |
| 2 | **mean** | present | Laying |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **put** *not said to happen* | gerund | Laying *not said here* | plates and knives and forks |  | table |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent plate=Theme on it=Destination |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Laying bricks, tiles or a carpet is putting them in place to build or cover something.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laying:m4:1
# text = Laying bricks, tiles or a carpet is putting them in place to build or cover something.
1	Laying	lay	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	bricks	brick	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	tiles	tile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	carpet	carpet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	putting	put	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	conj	_	_
10	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	build	build	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	cover	cover	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	conj	_	_
17	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lay** | gerund |  | bricks and tiles |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent brick=Result |
| 2 | **put** | present · progressive | a carpet | bricks *= brick* |  | place |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent they=Theme in place=Destination |
| 3 | **build** | to-infinitive | a carpet *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 4 | **cover** | infinitive | a carpet *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme something=Destination |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each hen is laying 1 egg a day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laying:x1:1
# text = Each hen is laying 1 egg a day.
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	hen	hen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	laying	lay	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	1	1	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	egg	egg	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lay** | present · progressive | each hen | 1 egg |  |  | day |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent egg=Result |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He is laying 8 tiles in each row.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laying:x2:1
# text = He is laying 8 tiles in each row.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	laying	lay	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	8	8	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	tiles	tile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
8	row	row	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lay** | present · progressive | He | 8 tiles |  | each row |  |  | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent tile=Theme in row=Destination |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
6 hens laid 30 eggs this week.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laying:x3:1
# text = 6 hens laid 30 eggs this week.
1	6	6	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	hens	hen	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	laid	lay	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	30	30	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
7	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lay** | participle | 6 hens *not said here* | 30 eggs  this week |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent egg=Result |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They are laying bricks for a wall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laying:x4:1
# text = They are laying bricks for a wall.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	laying	lay	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	bricks	brick	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lay** | present · progressive | They | bricks |  |  |  | for a wall | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent brick=Result for wall=Beneficiary |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Please help me by laying the table.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laying:x5:1
# text = Please help me by laying the table.
1	Please	please	INTJ	UH	_	2	discourse	_	_
2	help	help	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	laying	lay	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | imperative | you *not said here* |  | me |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent i=Beneficiary |
| 2 | **lay** | gerund | you *not said here* | the table |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent table=Result |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The turtle is laying her eggs in the sand.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laying:x6:1
# text = The turtle is laying her eggs in the sand.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	turtle	turtle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	laying	lay	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lay** | present · progressive | the turtle | turtle's eggs |  | the sand |  |  | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent egg=Theme in sand=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Workers are laying a new road.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laying:x7:1
# text = Workers are laying a new road.
1	Workers	worker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	laying	lay	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lay** | present · progressive | Workers | a new road |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent road=Result |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She is laying the baby in its cot.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laying:x8:1
# text = She is laying the baby in its cot.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	laying	lay	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	cot	cot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lay** | present · progressive | She | the baby |  | baby's cot |  |  | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent baby=Theme in cot=Destination |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
This he did, laying the meat on the platform.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laying:x9:1
# text = This he did, laying the meat on the platform.
1	This	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	nsubj	_	_
2	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	laying	lay	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	meat	meat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	platform	platform	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past | This |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **lay** | gerund | This *not said here* | the meat |  | the platform |  |  | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent meat=Theme on platform=Destination |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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