lay about

See also: layabout

English

Verb

lay about (third-person singular simple present lays about, present participle laying about, simple past and past participle laid about or layed about)

1. To strike blows in all directions.
   • 1663, Hudibras, by Samuel Butler, part 1, canto 2

     [...] At beating quarters up, or forage, / Behaved herself with matchless courage; / And laid about in fight more busily / Than th' Amazonian Dame Penthesile.

2. To set about, with infinitive or gerund.

Translations

to strike blows in all directions

• Finnish: huitoa
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: наноси́ть уда́ры напра́во и нале́во (nanosítʹ udáry naprávo i nalévo)