Lay sth aside Meaning, Examples & How to Use in English

What Does “Lay sth aside” Mean?

“Lay sth aside” means to put something away temporarily or to stop focusing on something for a while. It can also mean to save or keep something for future use.

Introduction

The phrase “lay sth aside” is a common phrasal verb in English that you will often hear or read in daily conversations and writing. Understanding the lay sth aside meaning helps learners know when to use it correctly. Typically, it refers to setting something down or saving something, either physically or metaphorically. For example, you might lay a book aside to focus on a task, or lay money aside to save for an important purchase. This phrase is useful because it can describe both concrete and abstract actions. By mastering “lay sth aside,” you can express the idea of pausing, saving, or temporarily ignoring something in a clear and natural way.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: lay something aside
• Type: transitive
• Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
• Short meaning: to put something away or save it for later

Structure (Grammar Rules)

“Lay sth aside” is a separable phrasal verb. This means you can place the object between “lay” and “aside” or after the entire phrase.

• Lay + object + aside (e.g., lay the book aside)
• Lay aside + object (e.g., lay aside the book)

Both forms are correct, but the first is more common in everyday speech.

How to Use “Lay sth aside”?

You can use “lay sth aside” when talking about:

• Physically putting something down or away temporarily
• Stopping or pausing an activity to focus on something else
• Saving money, time, or resources for future use

It is often used when you want to express that something is not being ignored permanently but temporarily set apart.

Examples

Here are some natural examples of how to use “lay sth aside in a sentence”:

• She laid her phone aside to concentrate on the meeting.
• He decided to lay aside some money every month for his vacation.
• During the busy period, I had to lay aside my hobbies to focus on work.
• Can you lay aside the report until tomorrow?
• After finishing the chapter, I laid the book aside and went to bed.

Common Mistakes

Sometimes learners mix up “lay aside” with similar phrases or use it incorrectly. Here are some examples:

• Incorrect: I laid aside on the table.
  Correct: I laid the book aside on the table.
• Incorrect: She lay aside her homework.
  Correct: She laid aside her homework.

Remember, “lay” is the past tense of “lie” (to recline), but here “lay” is the base verb meaning “to put down.” The past tense is “laid.”

Differences / Synonyms

Other phrasal verbs similar to “lay sth aside” include “put aside” and “set aside.” They have close meanings but slight differences:

• Put aside: Often means to save or ignore temporarily, similar to “lay aside.”
• Set aside: Usually means to reserve or save something for a specific purpose, sometimes more formal.

“Lay aside” is more common in everyday speech when talking about physically putting something down or saving money.

Common Collocations

Here are common objects and ideas used with “lay aside”:

• Money: To save money for future needs.
• Book: To put a book down temporarily.
• Work: To stop working on something for a time.
• Differences: To ignore disagreements or problems temporarily.
• Time: To reserve or save time for something else.

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of lay sth aside:

• Lay Into Sth
• Lay Sth In
• Lay Into Sb
• Lay Sth On
• Lay Off Sth

Real-life Dialogue

Here is a short conversation using “lay sth aside”:

Anna: I can’t focus with my phone ringing all the time.

Ben: Why don’t you lay it aside while you work?

Anna: Good idea! I’ll lay it aside until I finish this report.

Practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “lay aside”:

• She decided to _________ some money for her new car.
• Please _________ the documents until the meeting starts.
• He _________ his book aside to answer the phone.
• We should _________ our differences and work together.

FAQs

• What does “lay sth aside” mean? It means to put something away or save it for later use.
• Is “lay aside” separable? Yes, you can place the object between “lay” and “aside” or after the phrase.
• Can I use “lay aside” for money? Yes, it is common to say “lay aside money” to mean saving money.
• What is the difference between “lay aside” and “put aside”? They are similar, but “put aside” is more common for saving or ignoring temporarily.
• Is “lay aside” formal or informal? It is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.