verb
lain
layn
verb
1
Past participle of "lie" — to have rested in a horizontal position.
"The letter had lain unopened on the desk for weeks."
"He had lain awake all night worrying about the exam."
How to Use Lain
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe past-participle form of "lie" (rest/recline), used with "have/had".
Common mistake
Easy to mix up with "laid" (past participle of "lay", which needs an object) and "lay" (past tense of "lie"). Test: "The dog has lain there all day" (no object) vs "She has laid the dog's bed down" (object: the bed).
Word Forms
lained past tense, Lains plural, lains singular
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Etymology
From Middle English, ultimately from Old English licgan ("to lie down").