especially: to remain unused, unsought, or uncared for
Lay vs. Lie: Usage Guide
Lay has been used intransitively in the sense of "lie"
going to lay down for a quick nap
since the 14th century. The practice was unremarked until around 1770; attempts to correct it have been a fixture of schoolbooks ever since. Generations of teachers and critics have succeeded in taming most literary and learned writing, but intransitive lay persists in familiar speech and is a bit more common in general prose than one might suspect. Much of the problem lies in the confusing similarity of the principal parts of the two words. Another influence may be a folk belief that lie is for people and lay is for things. Some commentators are ready to abandon the distinction, suggesting that lay is on the rise socially. But if it does rise to respectability, it is sure to do so slowly: many people have invested effort in learning to keep lie and lay distinct. Remember that even though many people do use lay for lie, others will judge you unfavorably if you do.
Verb (1)
the train tracks lie just over that hill
I left the book lying on the counter
paparazzi were lying in wait outside the restaurant, a well-known celebrity hangout Verb (2)
would I lie to you about that? Noun (2)
he wanted to deny the accusation, but he couldn't tell a lie
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Each episode is 24 hours maximum, so between this and the next lie 364 days.—John Hopewell, Variety, 18 Oct. 2024 Bhogal used the identity of someone Assi had briefly met before to weave an elaborate web of lies that went from friendship to a relationship and later, even an engagement.—Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 16 Oct. 2024 Her job there was the springboard for a series of lies that followed, including ones that eventually put her in contact with her now ex-wife, Jennifer Beyer.—Quispe López, Them, 16 Oct. 2024 Finch resigned later that year, before admitting to some of her lies in a December 2022 interview with The Ankler.—Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lie
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lie.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1) and Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English licgan; akin to Old High German ligen to lie, Latin lectus bed, Greek lechos
Verb (2)
Middle English, from Old English lēogan; akin to Old High German liogan to lie, Old Church Slavic lŭgati
Noun (2)
Middle English lige, lie, from Old English lyge; akin to Old High German lugī, Old English lēogan to lie
First Known Use
Verb (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
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