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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Indeed, as soon as his younger sibling lay down, Hugo got back up and walked away to find a new spot to lie down instead. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025 His wife brought him coffee; his dog lay down next to him. E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2025 The process recruits fibroblasts, the cells that lay down scar tissue. Alison Escalante, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 Once the sperm has been injected, you will be advised to remain lying down for 15 to 30 minutes. Khadeja Haye, Verywell Health, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lie down

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lie down was in 1888

Cite this Entry

“Lie down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20down. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on lie down

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