English Dictionary

Definition of “lie”

Browse the English Dictionary (A-Z)
Your search found:

Word Frequency

Word Frequency of lie

lie1 (laɪ Pronunciation for lie1 ) 

Definitions

verb

Word forms:  lies, lying, lied
  1. intr to speak untruthfully with intent to mislead or deceive
  2. intr 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. See give the lie to

related adjective

mendacious

Word Origin

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

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= falsehood, deceit, fabrication, fib, fiction, invention, deception, untruth, porky, pork pie, white lie, falsification, prevarication, falsity, mendacity
= fib, fabricate, invent, misrepresent, falsify, tell a lie, prevaricate, perjure, not tell the truth, equivocate, dissimulate, tell untruths, not speak the truth, say something untrue, forswear yourself

Quotations including 'lie'

  • "There is no worse lie than a truth misunderstood by those who hear it" William James
  • "Whoever would lie usefully should lie seldom" Lord Hervey
  • "The lie in the soul is a true lie" Benjamin Jowett
  • "I can't tell a lie, Pa; you know I can't tell a lie" George Washington
  • "The broad mass of a nation.... will more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a small one" Adolf Hitler
  • "Every word she writes is a lie, including `and' and `the'" Mary McCarthy (on Lillian Hellman)
  • "It contains a misleading impression, not a lie. It was being economical with the truth" Sir Robert Armstrong (during the `Spycatcher' trial)
  • "A lie will easily get you out of a scrape, and yet, strangely and beautifully, rapture possesses you when you have taken the scrape and left out the lie" C.E. Montague

lie2 (laɪ Pronunciation for lie2 ) 

Definitions

verb

Word forms:  lies, lying, lay  (leɪ Pronunciation for )  lain  (leɪn Pronunciation for ) 
intr
  1. often foll 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 foll by on or upon to rest or weigh ⇒ my sins lie heavily on my mind
  7. usually foll by in to exist or consist inherently ⇒ strength lies in unity
  8. foll by with
    1. to be or rest (with) ⇒ the ultimate decision lies with you
    2. (archaic) to have sexual intercourse (with)
  9. (of an action, claim, appeal, etc) to subsist; be maintainable or admissible
  10. (archaic) to stay temporarily

  11. See lie in state

  12. See lie low

noun

  1. the manner, place, or style in which something is situated
  2. the hiding place or lair of an animal
  3. (golf)
    1. the position of the ball after a shot ⇒ a bad lie
    2. the angle made by the shaft of the club before the upswing

  4. See lie of the land

See also

lie down, lie in, lie to, lie up, lay1

Word Origin

Old English licgan akin to Old High German ligen to lie, Latin lectus bed

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= recline, rest, lounge, couch, sprawl, stretch out, be prone, loll, repose, be prostrate, be supine, be recumbent
= be placed, be, rest, exist, extend, be situated
= be situated, sit, be located, be positioned
= exist, be present, consist, dwell, reside, pertain, inhere
= be buried, remain, rest, be, be found, belong, be located, be interred, be entombed
= weigh, press, rest, burden, oppress

Lie (liː Pronunciation for Lie ) 

Definitions

noun

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

Translations for 'lie'

  • British English: liePronunciation for lie A lie is something you say that is not true.You told me a lie!laɪ NOUN
  • Arabic: كِذْبَةٌPronunciation for كِذْبَةٌ
  • Brazilian Portuguese: mentiraPronunciation for mentira
  • Chinese: 谎话Pronunciation for 谎话
  • Croatian: lažPronunciation for laž
  • Czech: ležPronunciation for lež
  • Danish: løgnPronunciation for løgn
  • Dutch: leugenPronunciation for leugen
  • European Spanish: mentiraPronunciation for mentira
  • Finnish: valhePronunciation for valhe
  • French: mensongePronunciation for mensonge
  • German: LügePronunciation for Lüge
  • Greek: ψέμαPronunciation for ψέμα
  • Italian: bugiaPronunciation for bugia
  • Japanese: 嘘Pronunciation for 嘘
  • Korean: 거짓말Pronunciation for 거짓말
  • Norwegian: løgnPronunciation for løgn
  • Polish: kłamstwoPronunciation for kłamstwo
  • Portuguese: mentiraPronunciation for mentira
  • Romanian: minciună minciuni
  • Russian: ложьPronunciation for ложь
  • Spanish: mentiraPronunciation for mentira
  • Swedish: lögnPronunciation for lögn
  • Thai: การโกหกPronunciation for การโกหก
  • Turkish: yalanPronunciation for yalan
  • Ukrainian: брехня
  • Vietnamese: lời nói dốiPronunciation for lời nói dối
  • British English: liePronunciation for lie When you lie somewhere, your body is flat, and you are not standing or sitting.Lie on the bed and close your eyes for a while.laɪ VERB
  • Arabic: يَسْتَلقِيPronunciation for يَسْتَلقِي
  • Brazilian Portuguese: deitarPronunciation for deitar
  • Chinese: 躺Pronunciation for 躺
  • Croatian: ležatiPronunciation for ležati
  • Czech: ležetPronunciation for ležet --
  • Danish: liggePronunciation for liggewrong def used
  • Dutch: liggen Pronunciation for liggen
  • European Spanish: tumbarsePronunciation for tumbarse
  • Finnish: valehdellaPronunciation for valehdella
  • French: mentirPronunciation for mentir
  • German: lügenPronunciation for lügen
  • Greek: ψεύδομαιPronunciation for ψεύδομαι
  • Italian: mentirePronunciation for mentire
  • Japanese: 嘘をつくPronunciation for 嘘をつく
  • Korean: 눕다Pronunciation for 눕다
  • Norwegian: lyvePronunciation for lyve
  • Polish: okłamaćPronunciation for okłamać kłamać
  • Portuguese: mentirPronunciation for mentir
  • Romanian: a minți
  • Russian: лгатьPronunciation for лгать
  • Spanish: mentirPronunciation for mentir
  • Swedish: ljugaPronunciation for ljuga
  • Thai: โกหกPronunciation for โกหก
  • Turkish: yalan söylemekPronunciation for yalan söylemek
  • Ukrainian: лежати полежати
  • Vietnamese: nằm dàiPronunciation for nằm dài

Example Sentences Including 'lie'

But they always did lie ; and still the rates have almost doubled in a decade.
Irish Times (2002)
Everything you hold dear is a lie , Xaphista told her seductively.
Jennifer Fallon TREASON KEEP (2001)
He kept shaking off the two nurses who were trying to get his clothes off and get him to lie down.
Hugo Wilcken THE EXECUTION (2002)
It was tough on Alison to get into such a bad lie at the 17th.
Irish Times (2002)
The princess must be very upset to lie about Prince Cratyn like that.
Jennifer Fallon TREASON KEEP (2001)
Wandering along the platform muttering, ` lie ; lie; lie; half true...' I must have been an odd sight.
Christopher Ross TUNNEL VISIONS: Journeys of an Underground Philosopher (2001)
Winds blow continuously from the west, as the islands lie in the path of the Furious Fifties.
Yachting Boating World (2005)
With no beds for youngsters to lie on or sofas to bounce on, the adults can actually have a look at the house in relative peace.
Glasgow Herald (2001)
Work will then start to raise the remainder of the submarine, inside which the crew are believed to lie.
Glasgow Herald (2001)

Comments

Log in to comment on this word.

Spread the Word

Latest New Word Submissions

View More

Suggest a new word to add to the dictionary

Latest Published Words and Updates

Related Terms

17 results

View more related terms

Browse nearby words

All English words that begin with 'L'