1lie 
/ˈlaɪ/ verb
lies; lay /ˈlaɪ/ verb /ˈleɪ/; lain /ˈleɪn/; ly·ing /ˈlajɪŋ/ [no obj] 1 of a person or animal a : to be in a flat position on a surface (such as a bed)
▪ Lie still. ▪ She lay asleep on the bed. ▪ He lay dead on the floor. ▪ The police found him lying unconscious in an alley. ▪ All the dog did was just lie there. — see picture at position
b : to move from a standing or sitting position to a flat position on a surface
▪ The doctor asked him to lie [=lie down] on the table.
c — used to mark the place where a person is buried ▪ Here lies John Smith. = Here lies the body of John Smith. 2 of things : to be in a flat position on a surface
▪ snow lying on the ground ▪ A note was lying on the table when he came home. ▪ The leaves lay thick on the ground. ▪ He placed a hand on her shoulder, where it lay [=rested] for a moment. 3 a : to be or remain in a specified state or condition
▪ The city lay in ruins. ▪ The book was lying open on the desk. ▪ The factory continues to lie idle. ▪ dishes lying dirty in the sink
b always followed by an adverb or a preposition : to be in a specified direction
▪ Our route lay to the west. 4 : to be located in a particular place
▪ The village lies in a peaceful valley. ▪ The river lies along the western edge of the mountains. ▪ Ohio lies east of Indiana. = Ohio lies to the east of Indiana. ▪ A ship was lying in the harbor. ▪ The mountains lay between us and our goal. — often used figuratively ▪ I don't know where the answer lies. [=I don't know where the answer can be found; I don't know what the answer is] ▪ He doesn't know where his future lies. [=he doesn't know what he will do in the future] ▪ The choice lay between fighting or surrendering. [=the choice was between fighting or surrendering] ▪ There is no question about where her loyalties lie. [=about which person, group, etc., she is loyal to] ▪ The problem lies in knowing what to do. ▪ I don't know what to do, and therein lies the problem. [=that is the problem] 5 Brit : to be at a specified level in a competition
▪ They are lying third. = They are lying in third place. [=they are in third place]
▪ Lie still. ▪ She lay asleep on the bed. ▪ He lay dead on the floor. ▪ The police found him lying unconscious in an alley. ▪ All the dog did was just lie there. — see picture at position
b : to move from a standing or sitting position to a flat position on a surface
▪ The doctor asked him to lie [=lie down] on the table.
c — used to mark the place where a person is buried ▪ Here lies John Smith. = Here lies the body of John Smith.
▪ snow lying on the ground ▪ A note was lying on the table when he came home. ▪ The leaves lay thick on the ground. ▪ He placed a hand on her shoulder, where it lay [=rested] for a moment.
▪ The city lay in ruins. ▪ The book was lying open on the desk. ▪ The factory continues to lie idle. ▪ dishes lying dirty in the sink
b always followed by an adverb or a preposition : to be in a specified direction
▪ Our route lay to the west.
▪ The village lies in a peaceful valley. ▪ The river lies along the western edge of the mountains. ▪ Ohio lies east of Indiana. = Ohio lies to the east of Indiana. ▪ A ship was lying in the harbor. ▪ The mountains lay between us and our goal. — often used figuratively ▪ I don't know where the answer lies. [=I don't know where the answer can be found; I don't know what the answer is] ▪ He doesn't know where his future lies. [=he doesn't know what he will do in the future] ▪ The choice lay between fighting or surrendering. [=the choice was between fighting or surrendering] ▪ There is no question about where her loyalties lie. [=about which person, group, etc., she is loyal to] ▪ The problem lies in knowing what to do. ▪ I don't know what to do, and therein lies the problem. [=that is the problem]
▪ They are lying third. = They are lying in third place. [=they are in third place]
how the land lies — see 1land
let sleeping dogs lie — see 1dog
lie ahead
: to be in the future
▪ No one knows what lies ahead (of us). [=no one knows what will happen (to us) in the future]
▪ No one knows what lies ahead (of us). [=no one knows what will happen (to us) in the future]
lie around or Brit lie about [phrasal verb] 1 a : to be lying in a disordered way
▪ He always had a lot of clothes lying around his house.
b : to be somewhere within a general area or place
▪ I know that pen is lying around here somewhere. 2 : to spend time resting in a lazy way
▪ She spent the whole day just lying around. ▪ My friends and I were lying around by the pool.
▪ He always had a lot of clothes lying around his house.
b : to be somewhere within a general area or place
▪ I know that pen is lying around here somewhere.
▪ She spent the whole day just lying around. ▪ My friends and I were lying around by the pool.
lie back [phrasal verb]
: to lean backward from a sitting position to a flat position
▪ The doctor asked him to lie back on the table.
▪ The doctor asked him to lie back on the table.
lie behind [phrasal verb]
lie behind (something) : to be the cause of (something)
▪ Greed lies behind the higher prices.
▪ Greed lies behind the higher prices.
lie down [phrasal verb] 1 : to move from a standing or sitting position to a flat position on a surface
▪ Lie down on the couch/bed. ▪ I'm tired. I'm going to lie down. ▪ The police ordered him to lay down his weapons and lie down on the ground. 2 lie down on the job : to fail to do your job : to neglect your responsibilities
▪ He says pollution has been getting worse because government regulators have been lying down on the job. 3 ◊To take something lying down is to accept something bad, such as an insult or unfair treatment, without trying to fight against it.
▪ He vowed that he would not take the court's decision lying down. [=that he would fight against the court's decision]
▪ Lie down on the couch/bed. ▪ I'm tired. I'm going to lie down. ▪ The police ordered him to lay down his weapons and lie down on the ground.
▪ He says pollution has been getting worse because government regulators have been lying down on the job.
▪ He vowed that he would not take the court's decision lying down. [=that he would fight against the court's decision]
lie in
[phrasal verb] Brit : to stay in bed later than usual
▪ She likes to lie in [=sleep in] on Saturdays.
▪ She likes to lie in [=sleep in] on Saturdays.
lie in state — see 1state
lie in wait — see 2wait
lie low
: to try not to be noticed : to stay hidden or inactive in order to avoid being noticed or found
▪ The prisoners had to lie low after their escape.
▪ The prisoners had to lie low after their escape.
lie on/upon [phrasal verb]
lie on/upon (someone or something) : to affect someone in a specified way
▪ Sorrow lay heavily on him. [=he felt very sad] ▪ Guilt lies on his conscience. [=he feels very guilty] ▪ Her years lie lightly upon her. [=she seems younger than she is]
▪ Sorrow lay heavily on him. [=he felt very sad] ▪ Guilt lies on his conscience. [=he feels very guilty] ▪ Her years lie lightly upon her. [=she seems younger than she is]
lie with [phrasal verb] 1 lie with (someone or something) not used in the progressive tenses — used to say who has the blame or responsibility for something ▪ The blame lies with their mother for not watching them closely enough. ▪ Responsibility for the accident lies with the company. 2 lie with (someone) literary : to have sex with (someone)
▪ when he first lay with her
▪ when he first lay with her
make your bed and lie in it — see 1bed
— compare 3lie
