lie down
verb
lay down; lain down; lying down; lies down
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
Matthew Rothschild2
: 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
Walter ThabitExamples of lie down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2019, the council approved changing the city charter to allow people to sleep overnight at City Hall, but prohibited sitting or lying down on the ground from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday.
—Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2025
First, snag a prime picnic spot and lay down that blanket.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Gracie also shared a sweet snap of her and the Normal People star, 29, lying down on what appears to be a blanket.
—Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 2 July 2025
The first signs of heat exhaustion to look out for are when dogs seek out shade and lie down to try and cool off.
—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie down
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Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2025
First, snag a prime picnic spot and lay down that blanket.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Gracie also shared a sweet snap of her and the Normal People star, 29, lying down on what appears to be a blanket.
—Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 2 July 2025
The first signs of heat exhaustion to look out for are when dogs seek out shade and lie down to try and cool off.
—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie down
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lie down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20down. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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