Basic Details
Word: Lie
Part of Speech: Noun, verb
Meaning: A statement that the speaker knows is untrue; to say such a thing. Lie also means to rest flat, as when you lie on a bed.
Synonyms: falsehood, untruth, fib
Antonyms: truth
Sounds like: lye (a strong chemical used in making soap)
How to Spell Lie
Syllables: lie
Tricky part: Lie is short, but its forms trip students up: the ie changes to y before ing, so it is lying, never lieing. The past of the 'untruth' sense is lied.
Watch out for: lieing, lyed, lieed
Memory tip: Lie, die and tie all swap ie for y before ing: lying, dying, tying. Learn the three together.
Idioms and Phrases
- a white lie: a small, harmless untruth told to be polite or kind. Example: "She told a white lie and said she loved the burnt cake."
- lie low: to keep out of sight for a while. Example: "After breaking the window, the boys decided to lie low for the afternoon."
Usage Examples
Example 1: The cat knocked the vase over, but my brother told a lie and blamed the wind.
Example 2: The tired dog likes to lie in the shade of the neem tree.
Example 3: He said he had finished his homework, but that was a lie.
Fun Fact
Lie has two quite different meanings with different past forms: for an untruth it is lied, but for resting it is lay and lain, as in 'the book has lain on the shelf for years'.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the word opposite in meaning to lie as used in the sentence:
Grandpa says a single lie can undo years of trust between two friends.
a) truth
b) untruth
c) fib
d) falsehood
Show answer
a) truth. A lie is something untrue, so the opposite is truth; fib, falsehood and untruth all mean a lie.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Arjun was found lieing on the sofa with a comic long after his mother had called him three times for dinner.
a) lieing
b) dinner
c) mother
d) sofa
Show answer
a) lieing. Before ing the ie of lie becomes y, giving lying.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. lie 2. decieve 3. consciense 4. confesion
a) a statement the speaker knows is untrue
b) a statement admitting that you have done wrong
c) the inner sense of right and wrong
d) to make someone believe something false
Show answer
a) a statement the speaker knows is untrue. Deceive follows the rule e before i after c, confession needs a double s and conscience ends in ence, so lie is the word whose meaning counts.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. In which sentence does lie mean 'rest flat'?
a) The cat likes to lie on the warm roof.
b) That story was a lie.
c) Do not lie to your teacher.
d) He told a lie about his marks.
Show answer
a) The cat likes to lie on the warm roof.
2. Which word sounds exactly like lie?
a) lee
b) lay
c) lea
d) lye
Show answer
d) lye
