Definitions
Etymologies
- From Middle English lai, lay, from Old French lai ("song, lyric, poem"), from Old Frankish *laik, *laih ("play, melody, song"), from Proto-Germanic *laikaz, *laikiz (“jump, play, dance, hymn”), from Proto-Indo-European *loig-, *(e)laiǵ- (“to jump, spring, play”). Akin to Old High German leih ("a play, skit, melody, song"), Middle High German leich ("piece of music, epic song played on a harp"), Gothic (laiks, "a dance"), Old English lācan ("to move quickly, fence, sing"). More at lake. (Wiktionary)
Examples
“To express an interrogative, we say, — 他来不来 _t'a lai pu lai_ = "he come no come?”
“The process is called lai, or pulling: A damp towel is placed over a hot metal surface, a thin layer of rice-flour batter is spread on top, and when the translucent sheet turns opaque -- a signal it is done, which happens within seconds -- the burning-hot cloth must be ripped away from the rice-flour sheet in a quick pulling motion.”
“That's very accurate: Tahitians are obsessed with flowers, and always give you a "lai", or flower-garland, as soon as you get off the boat.”
“Cause the 'lai's and the' he's have something against each other. - shrugs - I don't even know if im a lai or a sun.”
“And if you wish to see the whole meaning of life as the romance actually understood it, you have but to turn again to that 'lai' of Mary of”
“For a recent definition of "lai", se L. Foulet in "Ztsch. fur romanische Philologie", xxxii. 161 f.] [Footnote 143: The sterling was the English silver penny, 240 of which equalled 1 Pound Sterling of silver of 5760 grains 925 fine.”
“(Hanover, 1908).] [Footnote 142: In fact, nothing is known of this "lai", if, indeed, it ever existed.”
“Chou En-lai was a coach as good as friend of U Peng.”
“August 24th, 2009 4: 37 pm ET this witch hunt is no different than mai-lai. .it's always the grunts who get the labels. .but, in this hunt, try some real sicko's for a change ..”
“The “my-lai” reference made understanding time and place confusing.”
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