What does "lie" mean?
The terrain and conditions surrounding the ball before it is struck.
Lie
/laɪ̯/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The terrain and conditions surrounding the ball before it is struck.
- Grammar: lie is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: prevarication, fabrication, falsehood, fib.
- Useful contrasts: dutch staat, dutch woord, german wort.
- Usage evidence: People who will lie for you, will lie to you.
How to use "lie"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lie" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lie" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lie" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lie" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lie" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "prevarication" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lie", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The terrain and conditions surrounding the ball before it is struck.
- 2 An intentionally false statement; an intentional falsehood.
"I knew he was telling a lie by his facial expression."
- 3 a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth wordnet
- 4 The terrain and conditions surrounding the disc before it is thrown.
- 5 A statement intended to deceive, even if literally true.
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 position or manner in which something is situated wordnet
- 7 The position of a fetus in the womb.
- 8 Anything that misleads or disappoints. broadly
"Wishing this lie of life was o'er."
- 9 A manner of lying; relative position.
- 10 A liar; a dishonest person. slang
- 11 An animal's lair.
Verb
- 1 To rest in a horizontal position on a surface. intransitive
"The book lies on the table; the snow lies on the roof; he lies in his coffin."
- 2 To give false information intentionally with intent to deceive. intransitive
"When Pinocchio lies, his nose grows."
- 3 tell an untruth; pretend with intent to deceive wordnet
- 4 To be placed or situated. intransitive
"Ying-yang county lies 70 li southwest of the modern Teng-feng county, Honan."
- 5 To convey a false image or impression. intransitive
"Photographs often lie."
Show 14 more definitions
- 6 be lying, be prostrate; be in a horizontal position wordnet
- 7 To abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition. copulative, intransitive
"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"
- 8 To be mistaken or unintentionally spread false information. colloquial, intransitive
"Sorry, I haven't seen your keys anywhere...wait, I lied! They're right there on the coffee table."
- 9 assume a reclining position wordnet
- 10 Used with in: to be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place; to consist.
"Envy lies between beings equal in nature, though unequal in circumstances."
- 11 originate (in) wordnet
- 12 Used with with: to have sexual relations with.
"And it came to passe after these things, that his masters wife cast her eyes vpon Ioseph, and shee said, Lie with me."
- 13 be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position wordnet
- 14 Used with on/upon: to be incumbent (on); to be the responsibility of a person.
- 15 have a place in relation to something else wordnet
- 16 To lodge; to sleep. archaic
"While I was now trifling at home, I saw London, […] where I lay one night only."
- 17 be and remain in a particular state or condition wordnet
- 18 To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest.
"The Wind is lowd, and will not lie till the Ship be cleard of the dead."
- 19 To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained.
"An appeal lies in this case from the ordinary to the arches."
Proper Noun
- 1 Initialism of Long Island Expressway (“I-495”). abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 2 A Norwegian surname.
"It won’t be long now before Miss Lie starts finding out. The U. N. finally has agreed on a man to take over Trygve Lie’s title and woes. Some time in May the Lies will be packed and Oslo-bound—most of the Lies, that is, not Guri."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
dutch staatdutch woordgerman wortplain truth
Example
"People who will lie for you, will lie to you."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lie"?
Common synonyms include: prevarication, fabrication, falsehood, fib, aim, alternative fact.
How do you use "lie" in a sentence?
People who will lie for you, will lie to you.
How do you pronounce "lie"?
Pronounced /laɪ̯/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English lien, liggen, from Old English liċġan, from Proto-West Germanic *liggjan, from Proto-Germanic *ligjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-. Cognates Cognate with Yola lee, lidge (“to lie”), leigh, leiough (“to idle”), North Frisian lade, lai, laie, lei, lii, läde, läie (“to lie; to lay”), Saterland Frisian lääse (“to lie; to lay”), West Frisian lizze (“to lie”), Alemannic German ligge (“to lie”), Central Franconian lijje (“to lie”), Dutch and Dutch Low Saxon liggen (“to lie”), German liegen (“to lie”), German Low German ligge, liggen (“to lie”), Luxembourgish leien (“to lie”), Yiddish ליגן (lign, “to lie”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål ligge (“to lie”), Faroese and Icelandic liggja (“to lie”), Norwegian Nynorsk ligge, liggja, liggje (“to lie”), Swedish ligga (“to lie”), Gothic 𐌻𐌹𐌲𐌰𐌽 (ligan, “to lie, to rest”); and with Irish laigh, luigh (“to lie”), Manx lhie (“lie; lay”), Scottish Gaelic laigh (“lie; lay”), Faliscan 𐌋𐌄𐌂𐌄𐌕 (lecet, “he lies down”), Latin lectus (“bed”), South Picene 𐌅𐌄𐌉𐌀𐌕 (veiat, “to lie”), Ancient Greek λέχομαι (lékhomai, “to lie down”), Albanian lag (“band, encampment, troop”), Belarusian ляжа́ць (ljažácʹ, “to lie”), Bulgarian лежа́ (ležá, “to lie”), Czech ležet (“to lie”), Macedonian лежи (leži, “to lie”), Polish leżeć (“to lie”), Russian лежа́ть (ležátʹ, “to lie”), Serbo-Croatian лѐжати, lèžati (“to lie”), Slovene ležáti (“to lie”), Ukrainian лежа́ти (ležáty, “to lie”), Tocharian B lyäk- (“to lie”). As a noun for position, the noun has the same etymology above as the verb.
Etymology 2
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”). Cognates Cognate with Scots lee (“to lie”), North Frisian jooge, leeg, löög (“to lie”), Saterland Frisian ljooge (“to lie”), West Frisian lige (“to lie”), Bavarian liagn (“to lie”), Dutch liegen (“to lie”), German lügen (“to lie”), Luxembourgish léien (“to lie”), Danish lyve (“to lie”), Faroese lúgva (“to lie”), Icelandic ljúga (“to lie”), Norwegian Bokmål juge, lyge, lyve (“to lie”), Norwegian Nynorsk ljuga, ljuge, lyga, lyge (“to lie”), Scanian ljuğa (“to lie”), Swedish ljuga (“to lie”), Gothic 𐌻𐌹𐌿𐌲𐌰𐌽 (liugan, “to lie”); also Breton le (“vow”), Cornish li (“oath”), Welsh llw (“oath, pledge, vow; curse, swear word”), Latvian lùgt (“to ask; to request; to seek; to plead; to solicit; to invoke; to desire”), Belarusian ілга́ць (ilhácʹ), лга́ць (lhácʹ, “to lie”), Bulgarian лъжа (lǎža, “to lie”), Czech lhát (“to lie”), Kashubian łżec (“to lie”), Macedonian ла́же (láže, “to lie”), Polish łgać (“to lie”), Russian лгать (lgatʹ, “to lie”), Serbo-Croatian ла̀гати, làgati (“to lie”), Slovak luhať (“to lie”), Slovene lagáti (“to lie”).
Etymology 3
From Middle English lie, from Old English lyġe (“lie”), from Proto-Germanic *lugiz (“lie”), from Proto-Indo-European *lewgʰ- (“to announce, tell publicly”). Cognates Cognate with Saterland Frisian Löägene (“a lie”), Dutch leugen, logen, loogen (“a lie”), German Lug, Lüge, Lügen (“a lie”), German Low German Lögen (“a lie”), Luxembourgish Ligen (“a lie”), Yiddish ליגן (lign, “a lie”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål løgn (“a lie”), Icelandic lygi, lygn (“a lie”), Norwegian Nynorsk lygn, løgn (“a lie”), Swedish lögn (“a lie”); also Bulgarian лъжа́ (lǎžá, “а lie”), Czech lež (“a lie”), Russian ложь (ložʹ, “а lie”), Polish łeż (“a lie”), Serbo-Croatian ла̑ж, laž (“a lie”), Slovak lož (“a lie”), Slovene lȃž (“a lie”).
Etymology 4
From Norwegian Lie.