The difference between Lay and Layer
When used as nouns, lay means arrangement or relationship, whereas layer means an item of clothing worn under or over another.
When used as verbs, lay means to place down in a position of rest, or in a horizontal position, whereas layer means to cut or divide (something) into layers.
Lay is also adjective with the meaning: non-professional.
check bellow for the other definitions of Lay and Layer
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Lay as a verb (transitive):
To place down in a position of rest, or in a horizontal position.
Examples:
"to lay a book on the table; to lay a body in the grave"
"A shower of rain lays the dust."
"A corresponding intransitive version of this word is [[lie#Etymology_1 lie]]."
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Lay as a verb (transitive, archaic):
To cause to subside or abate.
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Lay as a verb (transitive):
To prepare (a plan, project etc.); to set out, establish (a law, principle).
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Lay as a verb (transitive):
To install certain building materials, laying one thing on top of another.
Examples:
"lay brick; lay flooring"
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Lay as a verb (transitive):
To produce and deposit an egg.
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Lay as a verb (transitive):
To bet (that something is or is not the case).
Examples:
"I'll lay that he doesn't turn up on Monday."
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Lay as a verb (transitive):
To deposit (a stake) as a wager; to stake; to risk.
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Lay as a verb (transitive, slang):
To have sex with.
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Lay as a verb (nautical):
To take a position; to come or go.
Examples:
"to lay forward; to lay aloft"
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Lay as a verb (legal):
To state; to allege.
Examples:
"to lay the venue"
"rfquotek Bouvier"
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Lay as a verb (military):
To point; to aim.
Examples:
"to lay a gun"
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Lay as a verb (ropemaking):
To put the strands of (a rope, a cable, etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them.
Examples:
"to lay a cable or rope"
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Lay as a verb (printing):
To place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone.
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Lay as a verb (printing):
To place (new type) properly in the cases.
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Lay as a verb:
To apply; to put.
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Lay as a verb:
To impose (a burden, punishment, command, tax, etc.).
Examples:
"to lay a tax on land"
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Lay as a verb:
To impute; to charge; to allege.
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Lay as a verb:
To present or offer.
Examples:
"to lay an indictment in a particular county; to lay a scheme before one"
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Lay as a noun:
Arrangement or relationship; layout.
Examples:
"the lay of the land"
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Lay as a noun:
A share of the profits in a business.
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Lay as a noun:
A lyrical, narrative poem written in octosyllabic couplets that often deals with tales of adventure and romance.
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Lay as a noun:
The direction a rope is twisted.
Examples:
"Worm and parcel with the lay; turn and serve the other way."
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Lay as a noun (colloquial):
A casual sexual partner.
Examples:
"What was I, just another lay you can toss aside as you go on to your next conquest?"
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Lay as a noun (colloquial):
An act of sexual intercourse.
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Lay as a noun (slang, archaic):
A plan; a scheme.
Examples:
"rfquotek Charles Dickens"
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Lay as a noun:
the laying of eggs.
Examples:
"The hens are off the lay at present."
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Lay as a noun (obsolete):
A layer.
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Lay as a noun:
A lake.
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Lay as an adjective:
Non-professional; not being a member of an organized institution.
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Lay as an adjective:
Not belonging to the clergy, but associated with them.
Examples:
"They seemed more lay than clerical."
"a lay preacher; a lay brother"
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Lay as an adjective (obsolete):
Not educated or cultivated; ignorant.
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Lay as a verb:
when pertaining to position.
Examples:
"The baby lay in its crib and slept silently."
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Lay as a verb (proscribed):
To be in a horizontal position; to lie (from confusion with lie).
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Lay as a noun:
A ballad or sung poem; a short poem or narrative, usually intended to be sung.
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Lay as a noun (obsolete):
A meadow; a lea.
Examples:
"rfquotek Dryden"
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Lay as a noun (obsolete):
A law.
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Lay as a noun (obsolete):
An obligation; a vow.
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Lay as a verb (Judaism, transitive):
To don or put on (tefillin ).
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Layer as a noun:
A single thickness of some material covering a surface. An item of clothing worn under or over another.
Examples:
"Wrap the loaf in two layers of aluminum foil before putting it in the oven."
"After the first coat of paint dried, he applied another layer."
"It's cold now but it will warm up this afternoon. Make sure you wear layers."
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Layer as a noun:
A (usually) horizontal deposit; a stratum.
Examples:
"I find seven-layer cake a bit too rich."
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Layer as a noun:
One of the items in a hierarchy.
Examples:
"mired in layers of deceit"
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Layer as a verb (ambitransitive):
to cut or divide (something) into layers
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Layer as a verb (ambitransitive):
to arrange (something) in layers.
Examples:
"Layer the ribbons on top of one another to make an attractive pattern."
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Layer as a noun:
A person who lays things, such as tiles.
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Layer as a noun:
A mature female bird, insect, etc. that is able to lay eggs.
Examples:
"When dealing with an infestation of headlice, the first step is to eliminate the layers."
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Layer as a noun:
A hen kept to lay eggs.
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Layer as a noun:
A shoot of a plant, laid underground for growth.