How to Pronounce "the lay of the land"
expression
thuh-LAY-uhv-thuh-LAND
thuh-LAY-ov-thuh-LAND
Definition
'The lay of the land' describes the overall situation, arrangement, or conditions in a place. It can refer to the physical geography or, more often, to understanding how things stand in a situation.
IPA Transcription
American English
ˈðə/, /ðə/, /ði/ /ˈɫeɪ/ /ˈəv/ /ˈðə/, /ðə/, /ði/ /ˈɫænd
British English
ðə, ði/ /lˈeɪ/ /ˈɒv/ /ðə, ði/ /lˈænd
Simplified Pronunciation
US
thuh-LAY-uhv-thuh-LAND
UK
thuh-LAY-ov-thuh-LAND
Listen in Context
Let's walk around to see the lay of the land before we start building.
She needs time to understand the lay of the land in her new job.
Before we make a decision, let's check the lay of the land.
It took me a few weeks to figure out the lay of the land at my new school.