Question 1

What does "lay to" mean?

Accepted Answer

(Nautical) To bring a ship to a stationary position or near-stop by adjusting the sails or engines.

Question 2

How do you use "lay to" in a sentence?

Accepted Answer

The captain ordered the crew to lay to while they waited for the storm to pass.

Question 3

Is "lay to" formal or informal?

Accepted Answer

"lay to" is formal — used mainly in written or official contexts. The nautical sense is specialised and rare outside maritime contexts. The attributive sense ('lay to' meaning 'attribute to') is archaic in modern English and has largely been replaced by 'put down to' or 'attribute to'. Learners will rarely encounter this phrasal verb.

lay to

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