Translation guide
To attack someone verbally or physically with great force or enthusiasm.
To strongly criticize, scold, or verbally attack someone.
A direct and formal way to say 'criticize harshly'. Suitable for both spoken and written contexts.
The boss laid into him for his mistake.
To scold someone severely. Common in everyday speech, often used when a superior scolds a subordinate.
The mother laid into her child.
Literally 'mouth-attack', meaning to verbally attack. Slightly more colloquial and vivid.
He laid into the politician at the press conference.
To verbally abuse or revile someone. Stronger than just criticizing; implies using insulting language.
The drunk laid into a passerby.
To nag or scold persistently in a grumbling manner. Often used for repetitive, annoying criticism.
The wife laid into her husband.
To attack someone physically with great force, often repeatedly.
A general term for attacking violently. Can be used in both literal and figurative contexts.
The rioters laid into the police officers.
To lunge at someone and start hitting them. Emphasizes the sudden initiation of a physical attack.
To gang up on someone and beat them. Implies multiple attackers or a severe beating.
The bullies laid into him.
To beat someone up badly. Very colloquial and vivid, often used in manga or casual speech.
He laid into the other guy in the fight.
To start doing something with great energy or enthusiasm, especially eating or working.
To start eating vigorously. Captures the sense of diving into food with gusto.
He laid into the steak.
To eat greedily or wolf down food. Colloquial and often used for someone eating with abandon.
To work hard at something, to put effort into a task. Used for non-food contexts like work or chores.
Do not translate 'lay into' literally as 横たえる (to lay down) or 中に入れる (to put into). It is an idiom meaning to attack or criticize.
He suddenly laid into his opponent.
子供たちはお菓子にがっついた。
The kids laid into the snacks.
彼は新しいプロジェクトに精を出した。
He laid into the new project.