Definition of "lay off" in English

Verb

1. (of an employer) To dismiss (workers) from employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume or through no fault of the worker, often with a severance package.

2. To place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker in order to reduce risk.

3. To cease, quit, stop (doing something).

   • Lay off the singing, will you! I'm trying to study.
   • When are you gonna lay off smoking?

4. To stop bothering, teasing, or pestering someone; to leave (someone) alone.

   • Just lay off, okay! I've had enough!
   • Things have been better since the boss has been laying off a little.
   • I told him to lay off me but he wouldn't stop.
   • Lay off it, already!

5. In painting, to apply gentle strokes to smooth a wet coat of paint so as to remove visible roller- or brush-marks, commonly using a dry brush; a similar technique, but using a loaded laying-off brush, may produce a smooth coat of paint when using a roller or the usual brush techniques would leave marks.

   • At any pro paint shop ask for laying off brushes. These are natural bristle, wide, thin brushes designed for tipping off, not for holding a paint load. (Sourced from a web forum exchange)
   • He shows me how to lay off the paint — and moves his paintbrush across the section he had already painted, again and again.

6. To plan out (a navigational course) using a chart.

Verb

1. simple past of lie off