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

Athletes sprint around laps on skis, while carrying a rifle, pausing two to four times (depending on the event) to fire at targets nearly 55 yards away while standing and lying down. —Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026

Put down a blanket, lay down, and gaze up at the stars. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026

The urge to lie down for a soak, even in winter, is hard to resist. —Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026

Place a dish or bucket underneath the drain hose, and lay down a towel. —Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 4 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.