What does "lay aside" mean?
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Give up, abandon, as in He laid aside all hopes of winning first prize. [First half of 1400s]
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Also,
lay away;
lay by. Set apart for a reason, save for the future, as in
They lay aside enough to pay the rent, or
Because coffee prices were rising, she laid by enough for a month, or
The store laid away the winter coat I wanted. [Early 1700s] The first variant gave rise, about 1970, to the term
layaway plan, in which merchandise is
laid away for a buyer who pays a deposit and receives it when payment is made in full. Also see
lay down, def. 4;
set aside.
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