lay out in lavender
lay (one) out in lavender
1. obsolete To prepare a dead body to be buried. From the former practice of strewing lavender petals over and around a body to mask its decomposing scent. The undertaker was accused of robbing corpses before laying them out in lavender. I'll never forget the visage of my grandfather laid up in lavender, two half-dollar coins atop his eyes.
2. obsolete By extension, to kill someone. He said he would lay them out in lavender if they dared to double-cross him. The feud has led to dozens of gangsters on either side laid out in lavender.
3. old-fashioned To excoriate or rebuke one severely. Our grandmother laid us out in lavender for breaking her antique clock.
See also: lavender, lay, out
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
lay someone out in lavender
Fig. to scold someone severely. She was really mad. She laid him out in lavender and really put him in his place. If you ever feel like you need to lay me out in lavender again, just forget it.
See also: lavender, lay, out
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
- lavender
- lay (one) out in lavender
- lay someone out in lavender
- lie in state
- worm food
- worm-food
- arrive (some place) in a body
- reach (some place) in a body
- body check
- pick (something) clean