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Mr. Tom Posted 8 years ago
Vocabulary

Lay the table vs. set the table

Hi

Could you please give your feedback on these two expressions? Is lay the table outdated?

Will you please lay the table while I change?

Will you please set the table while I change?

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=lay+the+table%2C+set+the+table&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2Clay%20the%20table%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cset%20the%20table%3B%2Cc0

Thanks,

Tom

PS: Do my sentences need a question mark?

  

Top answer

Hi I'd say that 'lay the table' is UK and 'set the table' is US. I have no idea why they diverge on the graph that you show. It might just show that there are more tables in the US.

— Dave_anon

  • Hi I'd say that 'lay the table' is UK and 'set the table' is US.
  • I have no idea why they diverge on the graph that you show.
  • It might just show that there are more tables in the US.
  • Or it might mean that, in the UK, we're ceasing to refer to it as a formal act.
  • (But, in the UK, I l did lay the table yesterday) Dave
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1 Answers
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Hi

I'd say that 'lay the table' is UK and 'set the table' is US. I have no idea why they diverge on the graph that you show. It might just show that there are more tables in the US. Or it might mean that, in the UK, we're ceasing to refer to it as a formal act. (But, in the UK, I l did lay the table yesterday)

Dave

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