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

Randy’s lying down on the infield with his headphones on. —Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026

Under federal regulations, each dog must have enough space to stand, turn around, and lie down comfortably, with enclosures sized to the individual animal. —Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 25 Mar. 2026

What other research is being done Search-and-rescue personnel use various kinds of drones, but the machines often lack the ability to positively identify humans, especially under thick foliage, in bad weather or when the person is lying down or unconscious. —Adeel Khalid, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026

Being able to lie down flat and stretch your legs on a long-haul flight will no longer be a luxury exclusive to business and first-class passengers on United Airlines. —Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 24 Mar. 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.