What is laid down?

As an adjective, "laid down" means to have been established, prescribed, or specified as a rule or regulation. For example, "the laid down protocol for entering the building is to swipe your access card at the front desk."

As a phrasal verb, "laid down" can also refer to the act of placing something down in a particular position or location. For example, "he carefully laid down the fragile vase on the shelf," or "the soldiers were ordered to lay down their weapons."

In general, the phrase "laid down" can imply a sense of structure or rigidity, as something that has been laid down is often seen as being firmly established and difficult to change or deviate from.