lay up
(transitive) To disable or incapacitate; to confine to bed.
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(transitive) To disable or incapacitate; to confine to bed.
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(transitive) To store; to put by.
We must lay up enough stores to get us through the winter.
Lay up means: To store; to put by.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up. For most families this word will pass by without incident; it is more a vocabulary curiosity than a parenting concern.
lay up means: To store; to put by.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
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(intransitive) To recuperate or rest; to remain in a place.
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Semantically related
- 75%
(slang) To have a sexual tryst with (someone).
- 70%
Slang for having a sexual encounter or secret rendezvous with someone — spending private time together in a romantic or physical sense. 'Laying up with' someone implies an intimate hookup, often with a suggestion of sneakiness or staying together longer than appropriate. It's used in American and some British slang, appearing frequently in blues, R&B, and hip-hop lyrics. The phrasing carries a hint of drama, suggesting the tryst is something being hidden or whispered about.
- 69%
(slang, transitive) To wait (for someone) in order to surprise or attack them.