lie

present singular third person lies · participle present lying · past lay · colloquial past laid · participle past lain · colloquial participle past laid · obsolete participle past lien · first person past singular lay · archaic present second person singular lyest · past second person singular lay · archaic past second person singular layst · present singular third person lies · archaic present singular third person lyeth · past singular third person lay · past plural lay · past subjunctive lay

1. intransitiveTo rest in a horizontal position on a surface.

   Under an oak were lying asleep a pair of shepherds.

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   The book lies on the table; the snow lies on the roof; he lies in his coffin.

   Though ye haue lien among the pots, yet shall yee bee as the wings of a doue, couered with siluer, and her feathers with yellow gold.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 68:13

   The watchful traveller […] / Lay down again, and closed his weary eyes.

   1660, [John] Dryden, Astraea Redux

   Our uninquiring corpses lie more low / Than our life's curiosity doth go.

   1849, Henry David Thoreau, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers

   The desert storm was riding in its strength; the travellers lay beneath the mastery of the fell simoom. Whirling wreaths and columns of burning wind, rushed around and over them.

   1892, James Yoxall, chapter 5, in The Lonely Pyramid

2. intransitiveTo be placed or situated.

   Ying-yang county lies 70 li southwest of the modern Teng-feng county, Honan.

   1988, Robin D. S. Yates, “Selected Translations”, in Washing Silk: The Life and Selected Poetry of Wei Chuang (834?-910), Harvard University Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 100

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   Hepaticology, outside the temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere, still lies deep in the shadow cast by that ultimate "closet taxonomist," Franz Stephani—a ghost whose shadow falls over us all.

   1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page vii

   From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much. Those entering it are greeted by wire fences, walls dating back to colonial times and security posts. For mariners leaving the port after lonely nights on the high seas, the delights of the B52 Night Club and Stallion Pub lie a stumble away.

   2013 June 8, “The new masters and commanders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 52

3. copulativeintransitiveTo abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition.

   The paper does not lie smooth on the wall.

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   to lie waste; to lie fallow; to lie open; to lie hidden; to lie grieving; to lie under one's displeasure; to lie at the mercy of the waves

4. Used with in: to be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place; to consist.

   Envy lies between beings equal in nature, though unequal in circumstances.

   c. 1690, Jeremy Collier, Of Envy

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   He that thinks that diversion may not lie in hard labour, forgets the early rising and hard riding of huntsmen.

   1693, [John Locke], “§2016”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC

   There was, according to Lukács, a 'contradiction' between their literary performance and their political attitudes. It is not clear, however, in what this 'contradiction' lay.

   1978 [1976], Leszek Kołakowski, translated by P[aul] S[teven] Falla, Main Currents of Marxism, volume III: The Breakdown, Oxford: Clarendon Press, translation of Główne nurty marksizmu: rozkład (in Polish), →ISBN, →OCLC, page 292

5. Used with with: to have sexual relations with.

   And it came to passe after these things, that his masters wife cast her eyes vpon Ioseph, and shee said, Lie with me.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 39:7

6. Used with on/upon: to be incumbent (on); to be the responsibility of a person.
7. archaicTo lodge; to sleep.

   Mr. Quinion lay at our house that night.

   1849 May – 1850 November, Charles Dickens, chapter 10, in The Personal History of David Copperfield, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1850, →OCLC

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   While I was now trifling at home, I saw London, […] where I lay one night only.

   1632, John Evelyn, diary, entry 21 October 1632

8. To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest.

   The Wind is lowd, and will not lie till the Ship be cleard of the dead.

   c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry Gosson, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

9. lawTo be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained.

   An appeal lies in this case from the ordinary to the arches.

   1737, Cart against Marsh (legal case)

plural lies

1. golfThe terrain and conditions surrounding the ball before it is struck.
2. disc golfThe terrain and conditions surrounding the disc before it is thrown.
3. medicineThe position of a fetus in the womb.
4. A manner of lying; relative position.
5. An animal's lair.

present singular third person lies · participle present lying · participle past lied · past lied · first person past singular lied · archaic present second person singular liest · past second person singular lied · archaic past second person singular liedst · present singular third person lies · archaic present singular third person lieth · past singular third person lied · past plural lied · past subjunctive lied · participle present lying · participle past lied

1. intransitiveTo knowingly give false information with intent to deceive.

   Don't lie to me!

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   When Pinocchio lies, his nose grows.

   If you are found to have lied in court, you could face a penalty.

   It is true that the latter had assumed much more of the fault than was rightly his, but if he lied a little he may be excused, for he lied in the service of a woman, and he lied like a gentleman.

   1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 54

   Lie to get what I came for Lie to get just what I need Lie to get what I crave Lie and smile to get what's mine

   2003, “The Package”, performed by A Perfect Circle

2. intransitiveTo convey a false image or impression.

   Photographs often lie.

3. colloquialintransitiveTo be mistaken or unintentionally spread false information.

   Sorry, I haven't seen your keys anywhere...wait, I lied! They're right there on the coffee table.

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   Well, he was up in Wyoming / And drew a bull no man could ride / He promised her he'd turn out / Well, it turned out that he lied

   1995, Garth Brooks, Dan Roberts, Bryan Kennedy, “The Beaches of Cheyenne”, in Fresh Horses, performed by Garth Brooks

plural lies

1. An intentionally false statement; an intentional falsehood.

   I knew he was telling a lie by his facial expression.

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   Man everywhere is the born enemy of lies.

   1840 May 5, Thomas Carlyle, “Lecture I. The Hero as Divinity. Odin. Paganism: Scandinavian Mythology.”, in On Heroes, Hero-Worship and The Heroic in History, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1840, →OCLC, page 4

   Synonyms: alternative fact, deception, fabrication, falsehood, fib, leasing, nonsense, prevarication · Antonyms: truth

2. A statement intended to deceive, even if literally true.

   Synonyms: half-truth

3. broadlyAnything that misleads or disappoints.

   The cake is a lie.

   2007, Erik Wolpaw, Chet Faliszek, Portal

   1 more example

   Wishing this lie of life was o'er.

   1835, Richard Chenevix Trench, the Story of Justin Martyr

4. slangAfrican-American VernacularA liar; a dishonest person.

1. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Long Island Expressway (“I-495”).

   Synonyms: Long Island Expressway, Interstate 495, I-495

plural Lies

1. A Norwegian surname.

   It won’t be long now before Miss Lie starts finding out. The U. N. finally has agreed on a man to take over Trygve Lie’s title and woes. Some time in May the Lies will be packed and Oslo-bound—most of the Lies, that is, not Guri.

   1953 April 12, A[braham] M[ichael] Rosenthal, “Farewell, Diplomacy: Trygve Lie’s daughter Guri tells about staying here”, in The New York Times (SM section), New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Aug 2025, page 22