lay down your arms

lay down (one's) arms

1. Literally, to lay down or otherwise relinquish one's weapon in the context of a military engagement. We have you surrounded! Instruct your troops to lay down their arms!
2. To stop pursuing military engagement, as part of a truce, treaty, or surrender; to stop combat. We're hoping that the various militant factions in the region will begin laying down their arms if the peace treaty is accepted.
3. By extension, to cease fighting, arguing, or being hostile. We're asking employees to lay down their arms while we investigate this issue. I think we should all just lay down our arms and try to have a calm, rational conversation about this.
See also: arm, down, lay
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

lay down your ˈarms

stop fighting in a war etc: Tell your men to lay down their arms — the war’s over.
See also: arm, down, lay
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • lay down (one's) arms
  • lay down arms
  • lay down on the job
  • lay aside (something) for (someone or something)
  • lay aside for
  • lie by
  • lay (something) on (someone or something)
  • lay on
  • lay something on someone
  • lay a hand on (one)
References in classic literature
Lay down your arms, my friends - lay down your arms!
The Man in the Iron Mask
"Here they are," says he; "here's our captain and fifty men with him, have been hunting you these two hours; the boatswain is killed; Will Fry is wounded, and I am a prisoner; and if you do not yield you are all lost." "Will they give us quarter, then?" says Tom Smith, "and we will yield." "I'll go and ask, if you promise to yield," said Robinson: so he asked the captain, and the captain himself then calls out, "You, Smith, you know my voice; if you lay down your arms immediately and submit, you shall have your lives, all but Will Atkins."
Robinson Crusoe
Still I'll forgive your crimes, so come and lay down your arms,' Zehri said.
70 Baloch insurgents lay down their arms
Just surrender and lay down your arms. There's a job waiting for you.
Lay down arms, take jobs: Duterte to NPA
Brando's statement said: "For 200 years, we have said to the Indian people who are fighting for their land, their life, their families and their right to be free, 'lay down your arms my friends, and then we will remain together'.
Brando on warpath rejects Oscar; RETRO REPORT MARCH 1973 - How we covered..
Brando's statement said, "For 200 years, we have said to the Indian people who are fighting for their land, their life, their families and their right to be free, 'lay down your arms my friends, and then we will remain together'.
Brando rejects Best Actor Oscar; RETRO REPORT March 30, 1973 How we covered..