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

Gabriel changed into his pajamas in the bathroom, then took one pillow and lay down on the floor under the window. —Daisy Hildyard, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024

Common symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, trouble breathing when lying down, and swelling of the extremities and stomach.7 Muscle cramping is another symptom—specifically leg cramps that come on at night, known as nocturnal leg cramps. —Laura Schober, Health, 8 Dec. 2024

HaH patients are generally more active during their recovery and spend less time lying down or sedentary than traditional hospital patients. —Jiang Li, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024

Claire goes upstairs immediately afterward, takes off her ring, lies down and is sad. —Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Video

Lay vs. Lie

Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.