Lie
/lai/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb:
- To be in or assume a horizontal position on a supporting surface: To rest with the body prostrate.
- To be situated or located in a specific place: To occupy a certain position.
- To be or remain in a specified state or condition.
- To originate or be found in something: To have its source or basis.
- To tell an untruth; to say something that is not true with intent to deceive.
Noun:
- A false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth.
- The position, direction, or manner in which something is situated.
Examples of Usage
- Verb (to recline):
- He decided to lie on the sofa for a few minutes.
- The cat lies in the sun every afternoon.
- Verb (to be situated):
- The town lies to the north of the river.
- The answer lies in careful planning.
- Verb (to be in a state):
- The machine lay idle for months.
- The castle lies in ruins.
- Verb (to tell an untruth):
- She never lies to her parents.
- He lied about his age on the application.
- Noun (false statement):
- Telling a lie is wrong.
- His story was full of lies.
- Noun (position/situation):
- The lie of the land made farming difficult.
- We need to assess the lie of the political landscape.
Advanced Usage
- "to lie in wait": to hide, waiting to attack or ambush someone.
- The predator lay in wait for its prey.
- "to lie low": to hide or keep a low profile to avoid attention.
- After the scandal, the politician decided to lie low for a while.
- "to let something lie": to stop discussing an issue; to leave something undisturbed.
- It's a sensitive topic; we should just let it lie.
Variants and Related Words
- Liar (n): A person who tells lies.
- He was exposed as a compulsive liar.
- Lying (v, pres. part. / adj): The act of telling lies; being untruthful.
- She was accused of lying. (verb)
- He is a lying witness. (adjective)
- Underlie (v): To be the basis or foundation of something.
- Several assumptions underlie their theory.
Synonyms
- Verb (recline): Recline, rest, sprawl.
- Verb (be situated): Be located, be situated, exist.
- Verb (tell untruth): Fabricate, fib, prevaricate.
- Noun (falsehood): Falsehood, untruth, fib, fabrication.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Lie about/around: To be lazily inactive or to be scattered in a place.
- Don't just lie about all day; do something productive!
- His clothes were lying around the room.
- Lie behind: To be the real, often hidden, reason for something.
- What motives lie behind this sudden generosity?
- Lie down: To recline, especially to rest or sleep.
- You should lie down if you're feeling dizzy.
Related Idioms
- "to lie through one's teeth": to tell a blatant or outrageous lie.
- He was clearly lying through his teeth about his alibi.
- "to take something lying down": to accept an insult or bad treatment without protest or resistance.
- She won't take such criticism lying down.
- "the lie of the land": the current state of affairs or how a situation stands.
- Before we decide, we need to understand the lie of the land.
Noun
- position or manner in which something is situated
- Norwegian diplomat who was the first Secretary General of the United Nations (1896-1968)
- a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
Verb
- assume a reclining position
- lie down on the bed until you feel better
- have a place in relation to something else
- The fate of Bosnia lies in the hands of the West
- The responsibility rests with the Allies
- tell an untruth; pretend with intent to deceive
- Don't lie to your parents
- She lied when she told me she was only 29
- be and remain in a particular state or condition
- lie dormant
- originate (in)
- The problems dwell in the social injustices in this country
- be lying, be prostrate; be in a horizontal position
- The sick man lay in bed all day
- the books are lying on the shelf
- be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position