someone Lays at one's mercy

Figured, It means someone is in the control of somebody? Doesn't it?"

Can you provide a few sentences from where you found that? It seems to me it would have to be "lies", not "lays". "At one's mercy" means "subject to one's whim", and we "lie" helpless.

I am a bit dumb. haha. It is kinda hard to tell the past tense of lie and lay. The original sentence was"Germany, with the Teutonic coalitions lay at their mercy, ..."

You seem to be reluctant to provide enough context and accurate typing. Was my original reply sufficient?

Yes, you seem very sufficient. So I think there is no need to provide enough context. Thank you very much.

"After fifty-two months of agony and hazards the Teutonic coalition lay at their mercy,and not one of its four members could offer slightest resistance to their will. Germany, the head and front of the offense, regarded by all as the prime cause of the catastrophe which had fallen upon the word, was at the mercy or discretion of conquerors themselves reeling from the torment they had endured."

Fol"After fifty-two months of agony and hazards the Teutonic coalition lay at their mercy,and not one of its four members could offer slightest resistance to their will. Germany, the head and front of the offense, regarded by all as the prime cause of the catastrophe which had fallen upon the word, was at the mercy or discretion of conquerors themselves reeling from the t

Thank you so much for your patient help. Have a nice day, assuming it is day in the U.S.A.