Meaning

12 senses
  1. (intransitive)To rest in a horizontal position on a surface.

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

    Under an oak were lying asleep a pair of shepherds.

    liegen, ligge

    лежа́тьležátʹ, полежа́тьpoležátʹ, лечьlečʹ

    лежа́тиležáty, лягти́ljahtý

    be lying, be prostrate; be in a horizontal position

  2. (intransitive)To be placed or situated.

    liegen

    располага́тьсяraspolagátʹsja, лежа́тьležátʹ, находи́тьсяnaxodítʹsja

  3. (copulative, intransitive)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 waves

    The paper does not lie smooth on the wall.

    be and remain in a particular state or condition

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

    have a place in relation to something else

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

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

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

  8. To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained.

  9. (intransitive)To give false information intentionally with intent to deceive.

    When Pinocchio lies, his nose grows.

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

    tell an untruth; pretend with intent to deceive

  10. (intransitive)To convey a false image or impression.

    Photographs often lie.

    lügen, täuschen

    лгатьlgatʹ, вратьvratʹ, бреха́тьbrexátʹ

    бреха́тиbrexáty

  11. (colloquial, intransitive)To 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.

  12. (archaic)To lodge; to sleep.

Examples

6275 sentences
  1. The greatest happiness lies in freedom.

    Найбільше щастя - це свобода.

    ruВеличайшее счастье заключается в свободе.

    deDas größte Glück liegt in der Freiheit.

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  2. When have I told a lie?

    Коли я брехав?

    ruКогда я врал?

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  3. I sometimes lie on the grass.

    Я іноді лежу на траві.

    ruЯ иногда лежу на траве.

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  4. He has never told a lie.

    Він жодного разу не збрехав.

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  5. Was he lying on his back?

    Він лежав на спині?

    ruОн лежал на спине?

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Translations

9 languages
Українська
By meaning 2
be in horizontal position:
tell an intentional untruth:
Русский
By meaning 3
be in horizontal position:
be situated:
tell an intentional untruth:
Deutsch
By meaning 2
be in horizontal position:
tell an intentional untruth:

Origin

From Middle English lien, liggen, from Old English liċġan, from Proto-West Germanic *liggj

From Middle English lien, liggen, from Old English liċġan, from Proto-West Germanic *liggjan, from Proto-Germanic *ligjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-.

From Middle English lien (“to lie, tell a falsehood”), from Old English lēogan (“to lie”), from Proto-West Germanic *leugan, from Proto-Germanic *leuganą (“to lie”), from Proto-Indo-European *lewgʰ- (“to announce, tell publicly”).

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

lies, lying, lay, lain
Base formlie · to lie
3rd person singularlies
Present participlelying
Past simplelay / laid / lied
Past participlelain / laid / lied

irregular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theylie
he, she, itlies

Past simpleLesson

all personslay

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave lain
he, she, ithas lain

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill lie

Phrasal verbs

11 phrasal verbs

Synonyms

6 synonyms
Close in meaning

Antonyms

2 antonyms

Word family

45 related words

Collocations

12 patterns
  • was lying to
  • lying on the
  • never lie to
  • told a lie
  • has lied to
  • is lying on
  • was a lie
  • never lie
  • to lie down
  • won't lie to
  • ever lied to
  • lie down for

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
lie — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto