Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

(Amelia) #1
moving it in and out of different finan-
cial institutions. (Underworld. See also
greenwash.) The woman’s sole function
was to launder the money from drug deals.
When you finish laundering the last job,
we want you to do another.

laundry listn. any long list of things. (See
also shopping list.) He came to the in-
terview with a laundry list of things. 
Now I have a laundry list of items we have
to discuss.


thelawn. the police. She is in a little
trouble with the law. Mrs. Wilson finally
called the law in on her old man.


lawnn. poor quality marijuana. (Drugs.)
This isn’t good grass; it’s lawn. Put
this lawn in your pipe and smoke it.


lay 1. tv. to copulate [with] someone.
(Crude. Usually objectionable.) She
laid him on the spot. He said he was go-
ing to lay her. I thought he was just talk-
ing tough. 2. n. a sexual act. (Crude. Usu-
ally objectionable.) I could use a good
lay about now. All the shipwrecked sailor
could think about was a lay. 3. n. a per-
son considered as a potential sex partner.
(Crude. Usually objectionable.) He ac-
tually said that she was a good lay. If
anybody said I was a good lay, I’d sue—
probably.


lay a guilt trip on someoneGo to lay a
(heavy) trip on someone.


lay a (heavy) trip on someone 1. tv. to
criticize someone. There’s no need to
lay a trip on me. I agree with you. When
he finally does get there, I’m going to lay
a heavy trip on him like he’ll never forget.



  1. tv. to confuse or astonish someone. 
    After he laid a heavy trip on me about how
    the company is almost broke, I cleaned out
    my desk and left. After Mary laid a trip
    on John about her other self, he sat down
    and stared at his feet. 3. and lay a guilt
    trip on someonetv. to attempt to make
    someone feel very guilty. Why do you
    have to lay a guilt trip on me? Why don’t
    you go to a shrink? Of course, she just
    had to lay a trip on him about being bossy,
    self-centered, and aloof.


lay an egg 1. tv. [for someone] to do some-
thing bad or poorly. I guess I really laid
an egg, huh? The cast laid an egg in both
performances. 2. tv. [for something] to
fail. The community theater laid an egg
last night with the opening performance of
Death of a Salesman. The film was fun
to make, but it laid an egg at the box of-
fice. 3. tv. to laugh very hard; to cackle
long and loudly. (As if one were a
chicken.) Half the audience laid an egg
when I told this one. I didn’t know
whether to cry or lay an egg.
lay downin. to give up. Do you expect
me to just lay down? You really think I
should just lay down and let them walk all
over me?
layedGo to laid.
lay it on the linetv. to speak very frankly
and directly. I’m going to have to lay it
on the line with you, I guess. Go ahead;
lay it on the line. I want to know exactly
what you think.
lay off (someone or something)in. to
stop bothering or harming someone or
something; to stop being concerned
about someone or something. Lay off
the booze for a while, why don’t ya? Lay
off me! I didn’t do anything!
lay one onGo to tie one on.
layout 1. n. a place; a place to live. (See also
setup.) How much does a layout like
this set you back a month? This is a nice
layout you got here. 2. n. a floor plan. 
Let’s see if the layout is what we want. 
The layout looks awkward and wasteful of
space. 3. n. a scheme. (Underworld.) 
Now here’s the layout. Lefty goes in this
side, and Ratface comes in the other way.
The layout’s no good. The cops are wise
to your style, boss.
lay someone out 1. tv. to scold someone
severely. (See also laid out.) Don’t lay
me out! I didn’t do it! TShe really laid
out the guy but good. What did he do, rob
a bank? 2. tv. to knock someone down
with a punch. I can’t wait to get into
that ring and lay the guy out. TThe boxer
laid out his opponent with a blow to the
head. 3. tv. to prepare someone for bur-

lay someone out
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