lie

1
[ lahy ]
/ laɪ /

noun

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.

Idioms for lie

    give the lie to,
    1. to accuse of lying; contradict.
    2. to prove or imply the falsity of; belie: His poor work gives the lie to his claims of experience.
    lie in one's throat/teeth, to lie grossly or maliciously: If she told you exactly the opposite of what she told me, she must be lying in her teeth. Also lie through one's teeth.

Origin of lie

1
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

Words nearby lie

lidia, lidice, lidless, lido, lidocaine, lie, lie detector, lie down, lie group, lie in, lie in state

British Dictionary definitions for lie through one's teeth (1 of 3)

Lie
/ (liː) /

noun

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

British Dictionary definitions for lie through one's teeth (2 of 3)

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
  1. to disprove
  2. 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 lie through one's teeth (3 of 3)

lie 2
/ (laɪ) /

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

noun

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 lie through one's teeth

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 lie through one's teeth (1 of 2)

lie through one's teeth

Also, lie in one's teeth. Utter outrageous falsehoods, as in He was lying through his teeth when he said he'd never seen her before; they've known each other for years. This expression presumably alludes to a particular facial grimace one assumes when lying. [c. 1300]

Idioms and Phrases with lie through one's teeth (2 of 2)

lie