lie down

verb

lay down; lain down; lying down; lies down

intransitive verb

1

: to submit meekly or abjectly to defeat, disappointment, or insult

—used chiefly in the phrase take (something) lying down

… if Walker does get the go-ahead to implement his anti-union law, the teachers in Madison aren't going to take it lying down, Matthew says. They may walk out on the job again.

—Matthew Rothschild

2

: to fail to perform or to neglect one's part deliberately

—used chiefly in the phrase lie down on the job

While the Sanitation Department was accused of lying down on the job, the police were accused of harassment …

—Walter Thabit

see also lie entry 1 sense 1b

Examples of lie down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The character is haunted by childhood trauma and addicted to painkillers, and in one early scene, the masked man takes his shotgun and hides in a motel room closet, lying down and seeking comfort. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026

The man asks for his Shalimar perfume, sprays himself and lies down on the floor. —Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026

Little old ladies lay down their canes to get close to him. —Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026

Dracula is the most well-trod of the three novels, its diabolical villain forever refusing to lie down and die. —Demetrios Matheou, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lie down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Video

Lay vs. Lie

Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.