lay to rest

present singular third person lays to rest · participle present laying to rest · participle past laid to rest · past laid to rest

1. idiomatictransitiveTo perform funerary services, especially burial, for someone who has died.

   Near-synonyms: entomb, inhume, inter, bury

   1 more example

   He was laid to rest beneath the old oak tree in 1825.

   Synonyms: entomb, inhume, inter, bury

2. figurativelytransitiveTo close (a matter of dispute).

   Payment of the court-imposed fine should finally lay this matter to rest.

   1 more example

   TIn front of a record women's rugby crowd of 81,885, the Red Roses, who had lost the previous two finals to New Zealand, laid that ghost to rest with an assured display built on their power up front and ferocious defence.

   2025 September 27, Alastair Telfer, “England overpower Canada to win Women's World Cup”, in BBC Sport

   Synonyms: put to rest, put to bed, put to sleep