lie Meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary
English (UK)
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Meaning of “lie” in the English Dictionary

"lie" in British English

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lieverb

uk   us   /laɪ/

lie verb (POSITION)

A2 [I + adv/prep, L] (present participle lying, past tense lay, past participle lain) to be in or ​move into a ​horizontal ​position on a ​surface: to lie in ​bed to lie on a ​beach to lie on ​your ​side A ​cat lay in ​front of the ​fire. He lies ​awake at ​night, ​worrying. A ​pen lay on the ​desk.B1 [I + adv/prep, L] (present participle lying, past tense lay, past participle lain) If something lies in a ​particular ​place, ​position, or ​direction, it is in that ​place, ​position, or ​direction: There's an ​old ​pair of ​shoes of yours lying at/in the ​bottom of the ​wardrobe. The ​river lies 30 km to the ​south. The ​team is lying third in the ​league. Here lies the ​body of Mary Taylor (= this is where Mary Taylor is ​buried). There are several ​houses lying ​empty in the ​town. The ​town lay in ​ruins. The ​ship lies off (= is ​positioned near) the ​coast of Spain.› [I + adv/prep] (present participle lying, past tense lay, past participle lain) to ​exist: The ​hardest ​part of the ​competition still lies ​ahead of us.C2 [I usually + adv/prep] (present participle lying, past tense lay, past participle lain) If ​responsibility, ​blame, a ​decision, a ​choice, etc. lies with someone, they have ​responsibility, must make the ​decision, etc.: Responsibility for the ​disaster must ​ultimately lie with the ​government. Where does the ​blame lie?lie in state (present participle lying, past tense lay, past participle lain) › When the ​dead ​body of an ​important ​person lies in ​state, it is ​arranged so that the ​public can ​see and ​honour it before it is ​buried.
More examples

lie verb (SPEAK FALSELY)

B1 [I] (present participle lying, past tense lied, past participle lied) to say or write something that is not ​true in ​order to ​deceive someone: Are you lying to me? Don't ​trust her - she's lying. I ​suspect he lies about his ​age.
See also
liar
More examples
Grammar
Lay or lie?The verb lay means ‘to put something down carefully in a flat position’. It must have an object. It is a regular verb, but note the spelling of the past simple and -ed form: laid not layed: …
Idioms
lie doggo
lie down on the job
lie low
lie through your teeth
not take sth lying down
Phrasal verbs
lie around
lie back
lie behind sth
lie down
lie in
lie in sth
lie up

lienoun [C]

uk   us   /laɪ/
B1 something you say that you ​know is not ​true: I told a lie when I said I ​liked her ​haircut.
More examples
Idioms
be a pack of lies
give the lie to sth
I tell a lie
the lie of the land
(Definition of lie from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

"lie" in American English

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lieverb

 us   /lɑɪ/

lie verb (POSITION)

› (present participle lying  /ˈlɑɪ·ɪŋ/ , past tense lay  /leɪ/ , past participle lain  /leɪn/ ) to be in or move into a ​horizontal ​position on a ​surface: [I always + adv/prep] The ​mechanic was lying on his back ​underneath my ​car. [I always + adv/prep] I ​love to lie down in ​front of the ​fire and ​read. [L] He lies ​awake at ​night, ​worrying.› (present participle lying  /ˈlɑɪ·ɪŋ/ , past tense lay  /leɪ/ , past participle lain  /leɪn/ ) If something lies in a ​particular ​place, ​position, ​condition, or ​direction it is in that ​place, ​position, ​condition, or ​direction: [I always + adv/prep] The ​river lies 40 ​miles to the ​south of us. [I always + adv/prep] You shouldn’t ​leave that ​check lying around (= not in ​its ​place).

lie verb (SPEAK FALSELY)

› [I/T] (present participle lying  /ˈlɑi·ɪŋ/ , past tense and past participle lied) to say something that is not ​true in ​order to ​deceive: [I] Both ​witnesses lied to the ​police about what ​happened. [T always + adv/prep] She lied her way past the ​guards.
lie
noun [C]  us   /lɑɪ/
(SPEAKING FALSELY) › Her ​report is ​full of lies and ​misinformation.
Idioms
lie low
Phrasal verbs
lie ahead (of someone)
lie behind something
(Definition of lie from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
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