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

The cat eventually lies down near the toy, resting her head on it while completely ignoring her dinner. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025

Bing stole the show at the premiere on March 24, having a solo moment on the red carpet before taking a moment to lie down as Watts petted him and fed him treats in a sweet scene captured by the cameras. —Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 25 Mar. 2025

These enzymes make molecules, which then activate other enzymes that remove epigenetic marks and lay down new ones as cells grow, divide and take on different fates. —Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025

In Palud’s film, Maria leaps up in fury after the take, smashes things on the set, and lies down on a bed, crying. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2025

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.