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.
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 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

Dictionary Entries Near lie down

Cite this Entry

“Lie down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20down. Accessed 1 Jan. 2025.

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