lay

LAY

meaning in plain English

The way something is arranged or spread out, like the shape of land or a room.

Think of how you lay out a carpet — the lay of a room shows its shape.

for example

We studied the lay of the hills before picking a campsite.

If you stand on a hill and notice how the ground rises and falls, that's the lay of the land. It tells you the pattern of the surface you’re looking at.