lay、place、put与set这些动词均有“放”之意。
lay : 指小心地把人或物平放或横放，侧重动作安稳。
- She laid the baby on the bed.
她把婴儿放在了床上。 - He laid the tray down on the table.
他把托盘放在桌子上。 - She laid aside her book and went to answer the phone.
她把书放在一边去接电话。 - We're having a new carpet laid in the hall next week.
我们准备下周给大厅铺新地毯。 - The plan is to lay (= build) the foundations for the new apartments in October.
按照计划新公寓将于10月打地基。
place : 较正式用词，指把某物放在一个正确的位置上，侧重动作的正确。
- She placed the letter in front of me.
她把信放在我面前。 - She placed her name on the list of volunteers.
她把自己的名字列入志愿者的名单里。 - I'd place him among the ten most brilliant scientists of his age.
我会把他列入他那个时期最杰出的10位科学家之列。
put : 普通用词，含义较广泛。指把人或物置于某处，并将其留在该处。
- Where have you put the keys?
你把钥匙放在哪了？ - Put your clothes in the cupboard.
把你的衣服放在衣橱里。 - He put salt into the sugar bowl by mistake.
他把盐误放在了糖罐里。 - She put her bag on the table.
她把包放在桌子上。
set : 普通用词，指为了某种目的而将人或物放在一定位置上。指物是多指立着放。
- He set a vase of flowers on the table.
他把一瓶花放在桌子上。 - The campsite is set in the middle of a pine forest.
宿营地设在松树林的中央。 - Our house is set back from the road.
我们的房子离公路有一定的距离。
