lie off

verb

lay off; lain off; lying off; lies off

intransitive verb

1

: to hold back in the early part of a race

2

: to keep a little away from the shore or another ship

3

: to cease work for a time

Examples of lie off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bird flu is a real concern for the fate of the kākāpō because most of the population, totalling just 235, lives on one tiny island sanctuary that lies off the wild coast of Rakiura/Stewart Island. — Todd Symons, CNN Money, 22 July 2026

But now that the bill is due, some policymakers are having to raise taxes, and in the worst cases, cut district budgets and lay off educators. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 3 June 2026

The Guida-Seibert Dairy Company has decided to completely close its New Britain facility and lay off more than 200 workers, records show. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 May 2026

Many owners spent decades building their companies and bristle at the idea of selling to traditional private equity or a bigger company that could restructure their business, lay off employees, and jeopardize their legacy. — Alex Amouyel, Fortune, 14 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1573, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lie off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Video

Lay vs. Lie

Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.