when i lay down my hips hurt - Sports Zone
Lay is often used where lie is considered standard, as in "I'm going to lay down for a quick nap." The use, which dates to the 14th century, troubled no one until the 18th, but since then, people who care about such things have tried to teach the rest of us that a person lies, not lays, down. LAY definition: to put or place in a horizontal position or position of rest; set down. See examples of lay used in a sentence.
Understanding the Context
The past tense of lie is lay, but not because there is any overlap between the two verbs. So when you say, “I lay down for a nap,” you’re actually using the verb lie, not lay, despite the way it sounds. One is that the form lay was also originally used as both the base form of lay and as the simple past of lie. Another is the use of lay as a reflexive verb meaning “to go lie (down)”.
Image Gallery
Key Insights
To lay is to set something down or put it in a horizontal position. It can also mean to position or prepare something for action — or simply to lay eggs.