lay of the land
The physical characteristics of the terrain or surrounding natural environment.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I need to check the lay of the land before I start.”
“The new manager spent his first week observing the office to understand the lay of the land.”
“Before committing to the acquisition, the investors conducted a thorough survey to understand the complex lay of the land regarding local regulations.”
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a wild goose never laid a tame egg
Most things are inherited and predetermined.
- 02
best laid plans
A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the ability to fully or even partially execute them is uncertain.
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fat of the land
The greatest part of anything; the finest and most abundant share of resources; the cream of the crop.
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kill the goose that lays the golden eggs
To seek short-term gain at the sacrifice of long-term profit.
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land in someone's lap
To come into somebody's possession without that person making any effort to attain it, and possibly without them expecting it.
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land legs
A sense of balance, slowly regained after a time at sea.
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land on
To reach a common conclusion or agreement, usually following a small period of disagreement.
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land on one's feet
To be lucky, or successful, often in difficult situations.
Last updated August 10, 2026