1 B2 neutral
To make a scheduled stop during a journey, especially by air, before continuing to the final destination.
"We had to lay over in Chicago for three hours before catching our connecting flight to London."
inseparable
lay over
B2 neutral inseparable intransitive
To stop somewhere temporarily during a journey before continuing to the final destination.
In plain English
Stop somewhere in the middle of a trip and wait before continuing your journey.
What does "lay over" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To lie (stay) over (at a place) until the journey continues.
Actually means
Stop somewhere in the middle of a trip and wait before continuing your journey.
Usage tip
Primarily used in American English in the context of air travel, ship journeys, or bus routes. 'Layover' (noun) is the corresponding noun form and is very common in aviation. British English tends to use 'stopover' instead.
Words that pair with "lay over"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
flight airport Houston transit connection hours
How to conjugate "lay over"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
lay over
I/you/we/they
3rd person
lays over
he/she/it
Past simple
laid over
yesterday
Past participle
laid over
have + pp
-ing form
laying over
continuous
Hear "lay over" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "lay over" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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