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Difference between Lay someone out and Put someone out

lay someone out

1. knock a person to the ground (unconscious):

  • The champion laid the contender out in the second round.

2. (coll.) exhaust or adversely affect smb.:

  • I’ve had influenza and it laid me out for two very unpleasant and painful weeks.

3. (of a dead body) prepare for burial:

  • Two of the women came to lay out the body.

4. (coll.) scold a person severely (also: lay someone out in lavender):

  • The director laid Jim out for being late again.

put someone out

1. cause smb. to leave a building:

  • “If they don’t get out they will be put out bodily,” retorted Hart.

2. disconcert or inconvenience a person:

  • Are you sure it won’t put you out if I stay to dinner?

3. cause a person to be confused or worried:

  • The least thing puts him out, he is easily upset.

Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase put someone out of the wayremove smb. from the scene; make away with a person:

  • Though he had a wife already, he determined to put her out of the way, and marry his own niece Elizabeth.