lain

[ leyn ]

/ leɪn /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR lain ON THESAURUS.COM

verb

past participle of lie².

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH lain

laid lain lain lane

Words nearby lain

laid up, laid-back, laigh, laik, lailat-ul-qadr, lain, laine, laing, laingian, laipse, lair

Definition for lain (2 of 3)

lie ¹

[ lahy ]

/ laɪ /

noun

a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood.

something intended or serving to convey a false impression; imposture: His flashy car was a lie that deceived no one.

an inaccurate or false statement; a falsehood.

the charge or accusation of telling a lie: He flung the lie back at his accusers.

verb (used without object), lied, ly·ing.

to speak falsely or utter untruth knowingly, as with intent to deceive.

to express what is false; convey a false impression.

verb (used with object), lied, ly·ing.

to bring about or affect by lying (often used reflexively): to lie oneself out of a difficulty; accustomed to lying his way out of difficulties.

Origin of lie

before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English lyge; cognate with German Lüge, Old Norse lygi; akin to Gothic liugn; (verb) Middle English lien, Old English lēogan (intransitive); cognate with German lügen, Old Norse ljūga, Gothic liugan

synonym study for lie

1. See falsehood.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH lie

lie lye

Definition for lain (3 of 3)

lie ²

[ lahy ]

/ laɪ /

verb (used without object), lay, lain, ly·ing.

to be in a horizontal, recumbent, or prostrate position, as on a bed or the ground; recline.

(of objects) to rest in a horizontal or flat position: The book lies on the table.

to be or remain in a position or state of inactivity, subjection, restraint, concealment, etc.: to lie in ambush.

to rest, press, or weigh (usually followed by on or upon): These things lie upon my mind.

to depend (usually followed by on or upon).

to be placed or situated: land lying along the coast.

to be stretched out or extended: the broad plain that lies before us.

to be in or have a specified direction; extend: The trail from here lies to the west.

to be found or located in a particular area or place: The fault lies here.

to consist or be grounded (usually followed by in): The real remedy lies in education.

to be buried in a particular spot: Their ancestors lie in the family plot.

Law. to be sustainable or admissible, as an action or appeal.

Archaic. to lodge; stay the night; sojourn.

noun

the manner, relative position, or direction in which something lies: the lie of the patio, facing the water.

the haunt or covert of an animal.

Golf. the position of the ball relative to how easy or how difficult it is to play.

Verb Phrases

lie by,

to pause for rest; stop activities, work, etc., temporarily.
to lie unused: Ever since the last member of the family died, the old house has lain by.

lie down, to assume a horizontal or prostrate position, as for the purpose of resting.

lie in,

to be confined to bed in childbirth.
Chiefly British. to stay in bed longer than usual, especially in the morning.

lie over, to be postponed for attention or action at some future time: The other business on the agenda will have to lie over until the next meeting.

lie up,

to lie at rest; stay in bed.
(of a ship) to dock or remain in dock.

lie with,

to be the duty or function of: The decision in this matter lies with him.
Archaic. to have sexual intercourse with.

Origin of lie

before 900; Middle English lien, liggen, Old English licgan; cognate with German liegen, Dutch liggen, Old Norse liggja, Gothic ligan; akin to Greek léchesthai to lie down

usage note for lie

See lay¹.

Example sentences from the Web for lain

But the sins of the 20th century, as devastating as they were, cannot be lain entirely at the feet of its artists.

Rehabilitating Italian Futurism at the Guggenheim Museum |David Freedlander |February 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
It had lain dormant all these years: it was there, though, and presently it would rise and confront me.

Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show |Robert W. Chambers |February 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
“She had been up during the day,” noted Sowell in explanation of how she might have lain down on a neat bed.

The Strange and Mysterious Death of Mrs. Jerry Lee Lewis |Richard Ben Cramer |January 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Rather, they have lain dormant to haunt us in various guises since the Confederacy was brought to heel.

The South Has Indeed Risen Again and It’s Called the Tea Party |Jack Schwartz |December 8, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

The lion has lain down with the lamb, in other words, and the unanimity seems so surreal that I might as well keep dreaming.

The Supremes Get It Right, Naturally. |Sam Kean |June 14, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
But this morning the energy of life which for those two weeks had lain dormant in him, began to stir again.

Dodo's Daughter |E. F. Benson
Some light was being shed upon much that had lain in darkness.

The Lion's Skin |Rafael Sabatini
Jones—On the bed; but there was no sheets: it was a flock-bed, and nobody had lain there a great while.

State Trials Vol. 2 (of 2) |Various
Nor was it ever recorded that such powerful armies, with their camps pitched so near together, had ever lain so quiet.

The History of Rome, Books 37 to the End |Titus Livius
The little limp-backed Bible had lain flung open on the ground in the midst of the other trinkets.

The Lions of the Lord |Harry Leon Wilson

British Dictionary definitions for lain (1 of 4)

lain

/ (leɪn) /

verb

the past participle of lie 2

British Dictionary definitions for lain (2 of 4)

Lie

/ (liː) /

noun

Trygve Halvdan (ˈtryɡvə ˈhalðan). 1896–1968, Norwegian statesman; first secretary-general of the United Nations (1946–52)

British Dictionary definitions for lain (3 of 4)

lie ¹

/ (laɪ) /

verb lies, lying or lied

(intr) to speak untruthfully with intent to mislead or deceive

(intr) to convey a false impression or practise deception the camera does not lie

noun

an untrue or deceptive statement deliberately used to mislead

something that is deliberately intended to deceive

give the lie to

to disprove
to accuse of lying

Other words from lie

Related adjective: mendacious

Word Origin for lie

Old English lyge (n), lēogan (vb); related to Old High German liogan, Gothic liugan

British Dictionary definitions for lain (4 of 4)

lie ²

/ (laɪ) /

verb lies, lying, lay (leɪ) or lain (leɪn) (intr)

(often foll by down) to place oneself or be in a prostrate position, horizontal to the ground

to be situated, esp on a horizontal surface the pencil is lying on the desk; India lies to the south of Russia

to be buried here lies Jane Brown

(copula) to be and remain (in a particular state or condition) to lie dormant

to stretch or extend the city lies before us

(usually foll by on or upon) to rest or weigh my sins lie heavily on my mind

(usually foll by in) to exist or consist inherently strength lies in unity

(foll by with)

to be or rest (with)the ultimate decision lies with you
archaic to have sexual intercourse (with)

(of an action, claim, appeal, etc) to subsist; be maintainable or admissible

archaic to stay temporarily

lie in state See state (def. 13)

lie low

to keep or be concealed or quiet
to wait for a favourable opportunity

noun

the manner, place, or style in which something is situated

the hiding place or lair of an animal

golf

the position of the ball after a shota bad lie
the angle made by the shaft of the club before the upswing

lie of the land

the topography of the land
the way in which a situation is developing or people are behaving

See also lie down, lie in, lie to, lie up

Word Origin for lie

Old English licgan akin to Old High German ligen to lie, Latin lectus bed

undefined lie

See lay 1

Medical definitions for lain

lie

[ lī ]

n.

The manner or position in which something is situated, especially the relation that the long axis of a fetus bears to that of its mother.

Idioms and Phrases with lain

lie

In addition to the idioms beginning with lie

lie down
lie in
lie in state
lie in wait
lie low
lie through one's teeth
lie with

also see:

barefaced lie
give the lie to
(lie) in state
lay of the land (how the land lies)
let sleeping dogs lie
make one's bed and lie in it
take lying down
white lie

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

lain

verb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH lain

Words nearby lain

Definition for lain (2 of 3)

noun

verb (used without object), lied, ly·ing.

verb (used with object), lied, ly·ing.

Origin of lie

synonym study for lie

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH lie

Definition for lain (3 of 3)

verb (used without object), lay, lain, ly·ing.

noun

Verb Phrases

Origin of lie

usage note for lie

Example sentences from the Web for lain

British Dictionary definitions for lain (1 of 4)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for lain (2 of 4)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for lain (3 of 4)

verb lies, lying or lied

noun

Other words from lie

Word Origin for lie

British Dictionary definitions for lain (4 of 4)

verb lies, lying, lay (leɪ) or lain (leɪn) (intr)

noun

Word Origin for lie

undefined lie

Medical definitions for lain

n.

Idioms and Phrases with lain

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

lain

verb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH lain

Words nearby lain

Definition for lain (2 of 3)

noun

verb (used without object), lied, ly·ing.

verb (used with object), lied, ly·ing.

Origin of lie

synonym study for lie

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH lie

Definition for lain (3 of 3)

verb (used without object), lay, lain, ly·ing.

noun

Verb Phrases

Origin of lie

usage note for lie

Words related to lain

Example sentences from the Web for lain

British Dictionary definitions for lain (1 of 4)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for lain (2 of 4)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for lain (3 of 4)

verb lies, lying or lied

noun

Other words from lie

Word Origin for lie

British Dictionary definitions for lain (4 of 4)

verb lies, lying, lay (leɪ) or lain (leɪn) (intr)

noun

Word Origin for lie

undefined lie

Medical definitions for lain

n.

Idioms and Phrases with lain