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

As Seeff clicked away, Simon, in the black lingerie, sang along with Hayes, ultimately lying down on the floor on her back before pulling herself up. —David Browne, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025

There are a thousand definitions, more, many of which lay down rules on how to build short stories, brick by brick. —Joanna Walsh june 18, Literary Hub, 18 June 2025

Emily, a set decorator from Colorado, directed me to lie down with my head underneath a chair, where a Swiss trainee named Nathalie had taken a seat. —Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 9 June 2025

More interesting still, the same number of chimps observed with the android were also seen lying down and gathering materials for bedding. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 5 June 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.