What does laired mean?
To lair is to rest, remain, or shelter in a lair, a term especially associated with wild animals such as foxes, wolves, or dragons in traditional stories. The word can also be used figuratively for people who settle in a secluded, concealed, or disreputable place. In its central sense, it suggests both the physical shelter of a lair and the habitual occupation of such a place: an animal may lair in a cave, hollow, or thicket, while a fugitive or criminal might lair in an abandoned building. The verb is relatively uncommon in modern everyday English and sounds more evocative and literary than verbs such as “rest” or “hide.” It can also appear in the past tense and past participle form “laired,” as in “The creature laired in the hills until the storm passed.”
verbTo rest or lie in a lair, especially an animal's sheltered or concealed resting place.
- To rest or remain in a lair, especially as a wild animal.
- To shelter or take up residence in a secluded or concealed place.
"The fox laired beneath the tangled roots until dawn."
"After the hunt, the wolves laired in the dense forest."
"The smugglers had laired in the abandoned warehouse for several days."
A creature can be hiding in plain sight when it has laired in a burrow, cave, or thicket.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does laired come from?
The word comes through Scots usage from Old English, where related forms referred to a place where an animal lies or rests. Its development reflects the longstanding association of the word with den, bed, and resting place. The modern noun and verb are closely related and preserve the idea of sheltering in a habitual or concealed place.
Related word forms
How laired is actually used
The verb is most natural in literary description and in figurative use. It is less common in everyday speech than the related noun.
Easily confused with laired
A lair is a sheltered or concealed resting place, whereas a layer is a thin stratum or level of material.