lie
He lied about his age to get the job.
He told an untruth about his age to get the job.
to say something that is not true with the intention to deceive
She lied to her parents about where she was going.
She told her parents an untruth about her destination.
The past tense of 'lie' (to tell an untruth) is 'lied'.
to rest in a horizontal position
The cat lies on the couch all day.
The cat rests in a horizontal position on the couch all day.
The past tense of 'lie' (to rest) is 'lay'.
Collocations
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Past Tense Clarification
Remember that 'lie' (to rest) becomes 'lay' in the past tense, while 'lie' (to tell an untruth) becomes 'lied'.
Gold Rule
Distinguish the Two Meanings
Always check the context to determine whether 'lie' refers to telling an untruth or resting in a horizontal position.
Word Origin
Old English 'licgan' (to lie down), related to 'liggja' in Old Norse and 'liegen' in German. The sense of 'to tell an untruth' emerged in Middle English.
Usage Notes
The verb 'lie' has two distinct meanings with different past tenses: 'lied' (to tell an untruth) and 'lay' (to rest).