lie
Pronunciation: (lī), [key]
— n., v., lied, ly•ing.
—n.
- a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood.
- something intended or serving to convey a false impression; imposture: His flashy car was a lie that deceived no one.
- an inaccurate or false statement.
- the charge or accusation of lying: He flung the lie back at his accusers.
- His poor work gives the lie to his claims of experience.
- 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.
- to speak falsely or utter untruth knowingly, as with intent to deceive.
- to express what is false; convey a false impression.
—v.t.
- 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.
- to lie grossly or maliciously: If she told you exactly the opposite of what she told me, she must be lying in her teeth.
lie
Pronunciation: (lī), [key]
— v., n. lay, lain, ly•ing,
—v.i.
- to be in a horizontal, recumbent, or prostrate position, as on a bed or the ground; recline.
- (of objects) to rest in a horizontal or flat position: The book lies on the table.
- to be or remain in a position or state of inactivity, subjection, restraint, concealment, etc.: to lie in ambush.
- to rest, press, or weigh (usually fol. by on or upon): These things lie upon my mind.
- to depend (usually fol. by on or upon).
- to be placed or situated: land lying along the coast.
- to be stretched out or extended: the broad plain that lies before us.
- to be in or have a specified direction; extend: The trail from here lies to the west.
- to be found or located in a particular area or place: The fault lies here.
- to consist or be grounded (usually fol. by in): The real remedy lies in education.
- to be buried in a particular spot: Their ancestors lie in the family plot.
- to be sustainable or admissible, as an action or appeal.
- to lodge; stay the night; sojourn.
- Ever since the last member of the family died, the old house has lain 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.
- to assume a horizontal or prostrate position, as for the purpose of resting.
- to do less than one could or should do; shirk one's obligations.
- to be confined to bed in childbirth.
- See(def. 14).
- See (def. 45).
- 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.
- (of a ship) to lie comparatively stationary, usually with the head as near the wind as possible.
-
- to lie at rest; stay in bed.
- (of a ship) to dock or remain in dock.
- The decision in this matter lies with him.
- to be the duty or function of:The decision in this matter lies with him.
- Archaic.to have sexual intercourse with.
- to hear or yield without protest, contradiction, or resistance: I refuse to take such an insult lying down.
—n.
- the manner, relative position, or direction in which something lies.
- the haunt or covert of an animal.
- the position of the ball relative to how easy or how difficult it is to play.
Lie
Pronunciation: (lē), [key]
— n.
- 1880–1940, U.S. painter, born in Norway.
- 1842–99, Norwegian mathematician.
- 1896–1968, Norwegian statesman: secretary-general of the United Nations 1946–53.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.