lie

UK: /ˈlaɪ/ US: /laɪ/ ,(lī)

Inflections of 'lie' (n): npl: lies

Inflections of 'lie' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

lies

v 3rd person singular

lying

v pres p

lied

v past (For senses to do with not telling the truth)

lay

v past (All other usages)

lied

v past p (For senses to do with not telling the truth)

lain

v past p (All other usages)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

lie¹ /laɪ/   n., v., lied, ly•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. a false statement made knowingly and on purpose with the intention of deceiving;
   a falsehood.
2. something intended or serving to give a false impression.

v. 

3. to speak falsely, knowing that what one says is not true, as with intent to deceive: [no object]
   lied about his age.
   [~ + object]
   lying his way out of difficulty.
   [used with quotations]
   "Of course I love you,'' he lied.

lie² /laɪ/   v., lay/leɪ/  lain/leɪn/  ly•ing, n. 
v. 

1. to be in a horizontal or flat position, as on a bed or the ground;
   recline (often fol. by down):
   [no object] I had to lie down after driving all day.
2. (of objects) to rest in a horizontal or flat position:
   [no object] The book lies on the table.
3. to be or remain in the position, condition, or state (that is mentioned in the next phrase):
   [no object] The troops lay in ambush.
4. to rest, press, or weigh:
   [no object] many worries lay on my mind.
5. to be situated or extended:
   [no object] the land lying along the coast.
6. to be in or have a specified direction;
   extend:
   [no object* not: be + ~-ing] The trail from here lies to the west.
7. to be found or located in a particular area or place;
   occur:
   [no object* not: be + ~-ing] The fault lies with us.
8. to be buried in a particular spot:
   [no object] Here lies the late hero.
9. lie behind, [~ + behind + object] to be the real reason for something:
   What lies behind her decision to quit?
10. lie in, [no object] to be kept in bed, or to stay in bed, as in childbirth.
11. lie with, [not: be + ~-ing* ~ + with + object] to be the duty or function of:
    The blame lies with the parents.

n. [countable]

12. the manner, relative position, or direction in which something lies, as the position of the ball in golf compared to how easy it is to play.

Idioms

13. Idioms lie down on the job, [Informal.] to do less than one could or should do.
14. Idioms take lying down, [take + object + lying down] to accept or give in to (something) without resistance:
    Are you going to take that insult lying down?

Usage

See lay.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

lie¹  (lī), n., v., lied, ly•ing. 
n. 

1. a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive;
   an intentional untruth;
   a falsehood.
2. something intended or serving to convey a false impression;
   imposture:
   His flashy car was a lie that deceived no one.
3. an inaccurate or false statement.
4. the charge or accusation of lying:
   He flung the lie back at his accusers.
5. Idioms give the lie to:
   • to accuse of lying;
     contradict.
   • to prove or imply the falsity of;
     belie:
     His poor work gives the lie to his claims of experience.

v.i. 

6. to speak falsely or utter untruth knowingly, as with intent to deceive.
7. to express what is false;
   convey a false impression.

v.t. 

8. to bring about or affect by lying (often used reflexively):
   to lie oneself out of a difficulty; accustomed to lying his way out of difficulties.
9. Idioms lie in one's throat or teeth, to lie grossly or maliciously:
   If she told you exactly the opposite of what she told me, she must be lying in her teeth.

Also, lie through one's teeth. 

• bef. 900; (noun, nominal) Middle English; Old English lyge; cognate with German Lüge, Old Norse lygi; akin to Gothic liugn; (verb, verbal) Middle English lien, Old English lēogan (intransitive); cognate with German lügen, Old Norse ljūga, Gothic liugan

Synonyms

• 1. prevarication, falsification. See falsehood. 
• 6. prevaricate, fib.

Antonyms

• 1. truth.

lie²  (lī), v., lay, lain, ly•ing, n. 
v.i. 

1. to be in a horizontal, recumbent, or prostrate position, as on a bed or the ground;
   recline.
2. (of objects) to rest in a horizontal or flat position:
   The book lies on the table.
3. to be or remain in a position or state of inactivity, subjection, restraint, concealment, etc.:
   to lie in ambush.
4. to rest, press, or weigh (usually fol. by on or upon):
   These things lie upon my mind.
5. to depend (usually fol. by on or upon).
6. to be placed or situated:
   land lying along the coast.
7. to be stretched out or extended:
   the broad plain that lies before us.
8. to be in or have a specified direction;
   extend:
   The trail from here lies to the west.
9. to be found or located in a particular area or place:
   The fault lies here.
10. to consist or be grounded (usually fol. by in):
    The real remedy lies in education.
11. to be buried in a particular spot:
    Their ancestors lie in the family plot.
12. Law to be sustainable or admissible, as an action or appeal.
13. [Archaic.] to lodge;
    stay the night;
    sojourn.
14. lie by:
    • to pause for rest;
      stop activities, work, etc., temporarily.
    • to lie unused:
      Ever since the last member of the family died, the old house has lain by.
15. lie down, to assume a horizontal or prostrate position, as for the purpose of resting.
16. lie down on the job, [Informal.] to do less than one could or should do;
    shirk one's obligations.
17. lie in, to be confined to bed in childbirth.
18. Idioms lie in state. See state (def. 14).
19. Idioms lie low. See low ¹ (def. 45).
20. lie over, to be postponed for attention or action at some future time:
    The other business on the agenda will have to lie over until the next meeting.
21. Nautical, Naval Terms lie to, (of a ship) to lie comparatively stationary, usually with the head as near the wind as possible.
22. lie up:
    • to lie at rest;
      stay in bed.
    • Naval Terms (of a ship) to dock or remain in dock.
23. lie with:
    • to be the duty or function of:
      The decision in this matter lies with him.
    • [Archaic.] to have sexual intercourse with.
24. Idioms take lying down, to hear or yield without protest, contradiction, or resistance:
    I refuse to take such an insult lying down.

n. 

25. the manner, relative position, or direction in which something lies.
26. the haunt or covert of an animal.
27. Sport [Golf.] the position of the ball relative to how easy or how difficult it is to play.

• bef. 900; Middle English lien, liggen, Old English licgan; cognate with German liegen, Dutch liggen, Old Norse liggja, Gothic ligan; akin to Greek léchesthai to lie down

Synonyms

• 25. place, location, site.

Antonyms

• 1, 2. stand.

Usage

See lay ¹.

Lie  (lē), n. 

1. Biographical Jonas, 1880–1940, U.S. painter, born in Norway.

(Ma•ri•us) So•phus  (mä′rē ŏŏs sō′fŏŏs), 1842–99, Norwegian mathematician. Tryg•ve Halv•dan  (trig′və hälv′dän; Nor. tryg′və hälv′dän), 1896–1968, Norwegian statesman: secretary-general of the United Nations 1946–53.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

lie / laɪ/ verb (lies, lying, lied)(intransitive)

1. to speak untruthfully with intent to mislead or deceive
2. to convey a false impression or practise deception: the camera does not lie

noun

1. an untrue or deceptive statement deliberately used to mislead
2. something that is deliberately intended to deceive
3. give the lie to ⇒ to disprove
4. to accuse of lying

Related adjective(s): mendacious

Etymology: Old English lyge (n), lēogan (vb); related to Old High German liogan, Gothic liugan

lie / laɪ/ verb (lies, lying, lay / leɪ/, lain / leɪn/)(intransitive)

1. (often followed by down) to place oneself or be in a prostrate position, horizontal to the ground
2. to be situated, esp on a horizontal surface: the pencil is lying on the desk, India lies to the south of Russia
3. to be buried: here lies Jane Brown
4. (copula) to be and remain (in a particular state or condition): to lie dormant
5. to stretch or extend: the city lies before us
6. usually followed by on or upon: to rest or weigh: my sins lie heavily on my mind
7. (usually followed by in) to exist or consist inherently: strength lies in unity
8. (followed by with) to be or rest (with): the ultimate decision lies with you
9. to have sexual intercourse (with)
10. (of an action, claim, appeal, etc) to subsist; be maintainable or admissible
11. to stay temporarily
12. lie in state ⇒
    See state13

noun

1. the manner, place, or style in which something is situated
2. the hiding place or lair of an animal
3. lie of the land ⇒ the topography of the land
4. the way in which a situation is developing or people are behaving

Etymology: Old English licgan akin to Old High German ligen to lie, Latin lectus bedUSAGE
lay1

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Lie / liː/ noun

1. Trygve Halvdan ( ˈtryɡvə ˈhalðan ). 1896–1968, Norwegian statesman; first secretary-general of the United Nations (1946–52)