Lie
Origin 1
From Middle English lien, liggen, from Old English licgan, from Proto-Germanic *ligjanÄ…, from Proto-Indo-European *legÊ°-. Cognate with West Frisian lizze, Dutch liggen, German liegen, Danish ligge, Swedish ligga, Gothic ðŒ»ðŒ¹ðŒ²ðŒ°ðŒ½; and with Latin lectus ("bed"), Irish luighe, Russian лежать, Albanian lagje ("inhabited area, neighbourhood").
As a noun for position, the noun has the same etymology above as the verb.
Full definition of lie
Verb
- (intransitive) To rest in a horizontal position on a surface.The book lies on the table; the snow lies on the roof;nbsp; he lies in his coffin
- John Dryden (1631-1700)The watchful traveller ...
Lay down again, and closed his weary eyes. - 1849, Henry David Thoreau, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack RiversOur uninquiring corpses lie more low
Than our life's curiosity doth go. - 1892, James Yoxall, The Lonely Pyramid Chapter 5, 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.
- (intransitive) To be placed or situated.
- Schuster Hepaticae V|viiHepaticology, 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.
- 2013-06-08, The new masters and commanders, 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.
- To abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition.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 wavesThe paper does not lie smooth on the wall.
- To be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place; to consist; used with in.
- Arthur Collier (1680-1732)Envy lies between beings equal in nature, though unequal in circumstances.
- John Locke (1632-1705)He that thinks that diversion may not lie in hard labour, forgets the early rising and hard riding of huntsmen.
- (archaic) To lodge; to sleep.
- John Evelyn (1620-1706)While I was now trifling at home, I saw London, ... where I lay one night only.
- Charles Dickens (1812-1870)Mr. Quinion lay at our house that night.
- To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest.
- William Shakespeare (1564-1616)The wind is loud and will not lie.
- (legal) To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained.
- Ch. J. ParsonsAn appeal lies in this case.
Derived terms
Noun
lie
(plural lies)Origin 2
From Middle English lien ("to lie, tell a falsehood"), from Old English lēogan ("to lie"), from Proto-Germanic *leuganą ("to lie"), from Proto-Indo-European *lewgʰ- ("to lie, swear, bemoan"). Cognate with West Frisian lige ("to lie"), Low German legen, lögen, Dutch liegen ("to lie"), German lügen ("to lie"), Norwegian ljuge/lyge ("to lie"), Danish lyve ("to lie"), Swedish ljuga ("to lie"), and more distantly with Bulgarian лъжа ("to lie"), Russian лгать ("to lie").
Verb
- (intransitive) To give false information intentionally.When Pinocchio lies, his nose grows.If you are found to have lied in court, you could face a penalty.While a principle-based approach might claim that lying is always morally wrong, the casuist would argue that, depending upon the details of the case, lying might or might not be illegal or unethical. The casuist might conclude that a person is wrong to lie in legal testimony under oath, but might argue that lying actually is the best moral choice if the lie saves a life.
- (intransitive) To convey a false image or impression.Photos often lie.Hips don't lie.
Derived terms
Related terms
Origin 3
From Middle English lie, from Old English lyġe ("lie, falsehood"), from Proto-Germanic *lugiz ("lie, falsehood"), from Proto-Indo-European *leugh- ("to tell lies, swear, complain"), *lewgʰ-. Cognate with Old Saxon luggi ("a lie"), Old High German lugī,lugin ("a lie") (German Lüge), Danish løgn ("a lie"), Bulgarian лъжа ("а lie"),
Noun
lie
(plural lies)- An intentionally false statement; an intentional falsehood.I knew he was telling a lie by his facial expression.
- A statement intended to deceive, even if literally true; a half-truth
- Anything that misleads or disappoints.
- unknown date Trench:Wishing this lie of life was o'er.