A Layman's Look at the Laws of Nature and Physics

Eggs are laid on a daily basis unless disturbed, as bricks are piece by piece, except when it pours.

He who couches down to lie and flees, must be in the doghouse once again.

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my self to keep
me from waking up the wife,
as I've snored, to spare my life.

Examining the concept of action=>reaction, you could say semantically the equation is true in most cases:  verb lay + prep., article, suffix, etc. = noun
examples:  a layout, layover, layon (except in Macbeth, "Lay on, McDuff!"), layup, layer, layoff, Eric Clapton's Layla, layaway, lay-by, laydown...

"Lay them straight" applies mainly to pick-up sticks 7-8, tile pavers, and a poker hand/face.

Laywomen, laymen.