English Dictionary

Definition of “lie”

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1lie1 (laɪPronunciation 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

2lie2 (laɪPronunciation for lie2) 

Definitions

verb

Word forms: lies, lying, lay, leɪ, lain, leɪn
(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. 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 (liːPronunciation for Lie) 

Definitions

noun

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

Quotations

  • "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

Translations

  • British English: lie Pronunciation for lie A lie is something you say that is not true.You told me a lie!laɪ NOUN You told me a lie!
  • Spanish: mentira Pronunciation for mentira nf
  • French: mensonge Pronunciation for mensonge nm
  • German: Lüge Pronunciation for Lüge nf
  • Chinese: 谎话Pronunciation for 谎话 n
  • Arabic: كِذْبَةٌPronunciation for كِذْبَةٌ n
  • Portuguese: mentiraPronunciation for mentira nf
  • Russian: ложьPronunciation for ложь nf
  • Croatian: lažPronunciation for laž nf
  • Czech: ležPronunciation for lež nf
  • Danish: løgnPronunciation for løgn nutr
  • Dutch: leugenPronunciation for leugen n
  • Finnish: valhePronunciation for valhe n
  • Greek: ψέμαPronunciation for ψέμα nnt
  • Italian: bugiaPronunciation for bugia nf
  • Japanese: 嘘Pronunciation for 嘘 n
  • Korean: 거짓말Pronunciation for 거짓말 n
  • Norwegian: løgnPronunciation for løgn nm
  • Polish: kłamstwoPronunciation for kłamstwo nnt
  • Brazilian Portuguese: mentiraPronunciation for mentira nf
  • European Spanish: mentira Pronunciation for mentira nf
  • Swedish: lögnPronunciation for lögn nutr
  • Thai: การโกหกPronunciation for การโกหก n
  • Turkish: yalanPronunciation for yalan n
  • Vietnamese: lời nói dốiPronunciation for lời nói dối n
  • British English: lie Pronunciation 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 Lie on the bed and close your eyes for a while.
  • Spanish: mentir Pronunciation for mentir v
  • French: mentir Pronunciation for mentir vi
  • German: lügen Pronunciation for lügen v
  • Chinese: 躺Pronunciation for 躺 v
  • Arabic: يَسْتَلقِيPronunciation for يَسْتَلقِي vi
  • Portuguese: mentirPronunciation for mentir v
  • Russian: лгатьPronunciation for лгать v
  • Croatian: lagatiPronunciation for lagati v
  • Czech: zalhatPronunciation for zalhat v lhát
  • Danish: lyvePronunciation for lyve v
  • Dutch: liegenPronunciation for liegen v
  • Finnish: valehdellaPronunciation for valehdella v
  • Greek: ψεύδομαιPronunciation for ψεύδομαι v
  • Italian: mentirePronunciation for mentire v
  • Japanese: 嘘をつくPronunciation for 嘘をつく v
  • Korean: 거짓말하다Pronunciation for 거짓말하다 v
  • Norwegian: lyvePronunciation for lyve v
  • Polish: okłamaćPronunciation for okłamać v kłamać
  • Brazilian Portuguese: deitarPronunciation for deitar vt
  • European Spanish: mentir Pronunciation for mentir v
  • Swedish: ljugaPronunciation for ljuga v
  • Thai: โกหกPronunciation for โกหก v
  • Turkish: yalan söylemekPronunciation for yalan söylemek v
  • Vietnamese: nói dốiPronunciation for nói dối v

Usage examples

  • `You're upset,' said the contessa, `perhaps you should lie down.
    Robert Wilson, THE COMPANY OF STRANGERS (2002)
  • Sometimes in my line of work it is best to let sleeping dogs lie.
    Country Life (2005)
  • Mr McGuinness has strenuously denied the allegation as "a blatant lie ".
    Irish Times (2002)
  • Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses, A box where sweets compacted lie , My musick shows ye have your closes.
    Glasgow Herald (2001)
  • Allow your breath to come to normal, your body to come to standstill and lie down for a few minutes.
    Amoda, MOVING INTO ECSTASY: An Urban Mystic's Guide to Movement, Music and Meditation (2001)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'L'

Related Terms

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