lie down
verb
lay down; lain down; lying down; lies down
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
Matthew Rothschild2
: 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
Walter ThabitExamples of lie down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Its showing is night-and-day more competitive with The Tower 600 lying down.
—PCMAG, 1 Mar. 2025
Eating smaller meals throughout the day and avoiding eating before lying down can help reduce acid reflux and heartburn.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 1 Mar. 2025
High-fat foods, especially fried or greasy options, take longer to digest and may cause discomfort, bloating, or acid reflux when lying down.
—Lauren Panoff, Mph, Rd, Verywell Health, 28 Feb. 2025
Drum machines and drum kits lay down beats while Barrett and his collaborators create long, dreamy jams that recall hard bop, trip hop, funk, and ambient soundscapes.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie down
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PCMAG, 1 Mar. 2025
Eating smaller meals throughout the day and avoiding eating before lying down can help reduce acid reflux and heartburn.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 1 Mar. 2025
High-fat foods, especially fried or greasy options, take longer to digest and may cause discomfort, bloating, or acid reflux when lying down.
—Lauren Panoff, Mph, Rd, Verywell Health, 28 Feb. 2025
Drum machines and drum kits lay down beats while Barrett and his collaborators create long, dreamy jams that recall hard bop, trip hop, funk, and ambient soundscapes.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie down
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Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lie down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20down. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
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