Lies

Lie  (l), Trygve Halvden 1896-1968.

Norwegian politician and first secretary-general of the United Nations (1946-1953).

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lie ¹  (l)

intr.v. lay (l), lain (ln), ly·ing (lng), lies

1. To be or place oneself at rest in a flat, horizontal, or recumbent position; recline: He lay under a tree to sleep.

2. To be placed on or supported by a surface that is usually horizontal: Dirty dishes lay on the table. See Usage Note at lay¹.

3. To be or remain in a specified condition: The dust has lain undisturbed for years. He lay sick in bed.

4.

a. To exist; reside: Our sympathies lie with the plaintiff.

b. To consist or have as a basis. Often used with in: The strength of his performance lies in his training.

5. To occupy a position or place: The lake lies beyond this hill.

6. To extend: Our land lies between these trees and the river.

7. To be buried in a specified place.

8. Law To be admissible or maintainable.

9. Archaic To stay for a night or short while.

n.

1. The manner or position in which something is situated.

2. A haunt or hiding place of an animal.

3. Sports The position of a golf ball that has come to a stop.

Phrasal Verbs:

lie down

To do little or nothing: He's lying down on the job.

lie in

To be in confinement for childbirth.

lie to Nautical

To remain stationary while facing the wind.

lie with

1. To be decided by, dependent on, or up to: The choice lies with you.

2. Archaic To have sexual intercourse with.

Idiom:

lie/lay low

1. To keep oneself or one's plans hidden.

2. To bide one's time but remain ready for action.

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[Middle English lien, from Old English licgan; see legh- in Indo-European roots.]

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lie ²  (l)

n.

1. A false statement deliberately presented as being true; a falsehood.

2. Something meant to deceive or give a wrong impression.

v. lied, ly·ing (lng), lies

v.intr.

1. To present false information with the intention of deceiving.

2. To convey a false image or impression: Appearances often lie.

v.tr.

To cause to be in a specific condition or affect in a specific way by telling falsehoods: You have lied yourself into trouble.

Idiom:

lie through one's teeth

To lie outrageously or brazenly.

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[Middle English, from Old English lyge; see leugh- in Indo-European roots.]

Synonyms: lie², equivocate, fib, palter, prevaricate
These verbs mean to evade or depart from the truth: a witness who lied under oath; didn't equivocate about her real purpose; fibbed to escape being scolded; paltering with an irate customer; didn't prevaricate but answered honestly.

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Lies/Liars 

See Also: DISHONESTY

1. Falsehood, like poison, will generally be rejected when administered alone; but when blended with wholesome ingredients, may be swallowed unperceived —Richard Whately
2. Falsehood, like the dry rot, flourishes the more in proportion as air and light are excluded —Richard Whately
3. A great lie is like a great fish on dry land; it may fret and fling, and make a frightful bother, but it cannot hurt you. You have only to keep still and it will die of itself —George Crabbe
4. (He’s as) honest as the cat when the meat’s out of reach —H. G. Bohn’s Handbook of Proverbs
5. Lie as fast as a dog can lick a dish —John Ray’s Proverbs
6. Lied as often and as badly as politicians —James Crumley
7. Lied like a fish —John Dos Passos
8. Lied like an Arab —Ana’s Nin
9. Lied like a rug —Anon

   In his novel, private I Jimmy Sangster extends this with “Lying like a cheap carpet.”

10. The lie fell as easily from his lips as a windfall apple —Donald Seaman
11. A lie is like a snowball; the longer it is rolled, the larger it is —Martin Luther
12. Lie like a trooper —American colloquialism, attributed to New England
13. Lie like fish —Saul Bellow
14. Lies are as communicative as fleas —Walter Savage Landor
15. Lies as fast as a dog trots —John Ray’s Proverbs
16. Lies as fast as a horse can trot —Danish proverb

    The comparison tends to change with use “As fast as a dog can trot” being one of the most frequently heard variants.

17. Lies … buzz about the heads of some people, like flies about a horse’s ears in summer —Jonathan Swift
18. Lies fall like flaxen thread from the skies —John Ashbery
19. Lies flew out of my mouth like moths —Susan Fromberg Schaeffer
20. Lies like a car-dealer —William Mcllvanney
21. Lying like a book —Bertold Brecht
22. Lying like an accountant at an audit —A. E. Maxwell
23. Lying like stink —Angus Wilson
24. Lying to someone is like blindfolding him: you cannot see the other’s eyes to see how he sees you and so you do not know how it stands with yourself —Walker Percy
25. The nimble lie is like the second-hand upon a clock; we see it fly, while the hour-hand of truth seems to stand still, and yet it moves unseen, and wins at last, for the clock will not strike till it has reached the goal —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
26. (Our) one white lie sits like a little ghost (here on the threshold of our enterprise) —Alfred, Lord Tennyson
27. The prevaricator is like an idolater —Eleazar
28. The telling of a falsehood is like the cut of a sabre; for though the wound may heal, the scar of it will remain —Sadi
29. To tell a falsehood is like the cut of a sabre; for though the wound may heal, the scar of it will remain —Sadi
30. When the lie was said it had the effect of leaving her breathless, as if she had just crowned a steep rise —Nadine Gordimer