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

Its showing is night-and-day more competitive with The Tower 600 lying down. —PCMAG, 1 Mar. 2025

Eating smaller meals throughout the day and avoiding eating before lying down can help reduce acid reflux and heartburn. —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 1 Mar. 2025

High-fat foods, especially fried or greasy options, take longer to digest and may cause discomfort, bloating, or acid reflux when lying down. —Lauren Panoff, Mph, Rd, Verywell Health, 28 Feb. 2025

Drum machines and drum kits lay down beats while Barrett and his collaborators create long, dreamy jams that recall hard bop, trip hop, funk, and ambient soundscapes. —Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 28 Feb. 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.