lay for
C1 informal inseparable transitive
In simple words
Hide somewhere and wait for someone to come so you can catch or surprise them.
Literal meaning: To lay (position yourself) in readiness for someone.
Meanings
1 C1
idiomatic
informal
To hide and wait in order to ambush or confront someone.
"The gang was laying for him outside the bar, planning to settle the score."
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
Chiefly American English, informal to colloquial. Carries a connotation of planned aggression or trickery. Less common in British English. Found in crime fiction and regional American speech.
Commonly used with
ambush trap enemy victim corner alley
Forms
Base
lay for
I/you/we/they
3rd person
lays for
he/she/it
Past simple
laid for
yesterday
Past participle
laid for
have + pp
-ing form
laying for
continuous
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