lay v.4
(US black) an all-purpose v. of action.
 | N.Y. Amsterdam Star-News 5 July 13: ‘Lay’ [...] denotes action and can be made to do many things [...] in Jive talking. | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Orig. Hbk of Harlem Jive 142: Lay — put down, speak, walk, hide, give, ask, exhibit. | |
| ‘Blueplate Special’ in Lover Man 127: ‘Aw, maaaaan,’ I says, ‘don’t be laying that jive on me. You know better than that.’. | |
| Panic in Needle Park (1971) 168: She’ll go away a long, long, long time. ’Cause you know she’s got this three-year SS from the last time and like they’ll lay that on her too. | |
| Down These Mean Streets (1970) 5: One of the cats took his belt off, and this brought a twinge of memory of what Poppa had laid on me earlier. | |
| Get Your Ass in the Water (1974) 59: I don’t care where you goin’ and where you’ve been [...] / I’m layin’ to wrap this good hot juicy pussy all around your badass chin. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | White Talk Black Talk 121: Jes’ a-lay some jump an’ bass. |
In phrases
(US) to do something in a noteworthy manner, e.g. to play jazz music well.
| ‘Hectic Harlem’ in N.Y. Amsterdam News 8 Feb. sect. 2: LAYIN’ IT STIFF AND STOUT. – Same as HIGH LIVING, q.v. | |
| ‘Winner Joe’ 🎵 But he always had that killing blow, / Every since he was a boy. / So, lay it, Joe! / You got the best blow! | |
| Orig. Hbk of Harlem Jive 78: If he says, ‘he is really laying it,’ he means someone was doing something out of the ordinary as in a stage performance or musical program, or a well-dressed person entering a room and suddenly becoming the object of all eyes. | |
| Union Dues (1978) 194: Pick it, Billy, lay it down! |
(US black) to remain with, stick to.
| Dealer 10: Slick and me started on reefer, and I went to coke and he went to scag. Scag is where the most money is. But me, I laid with the other two. |
In exclamations
(US black) an invitation to swap ritual hand slaps as a form of greeting.
| Jailhouse Jargon and Street Sl. [unpub. ms.]. |