lie in
1. verb To recline or rest in a flat position in or inside of something. When I came in, I saw all my important papers lying in a pool of water on the kitchen floor.
2. dated, verb Of a pregnant woman, to be confined in the hospital while in labor or waiting to give birth to her child. The thing I'm dreading most about having an induction is having to lie in for the entire day waiting for the labor to set in.
3. verb To come about from or be the result of something; to depend on something. The success of our campaign lies in establishing trust among rural voters. The fate of the company lies in the banker's hands.
lie-in
A prolonged amount of time spent in one's bed in the morning. Primarily heard in UK. Your mum's having a lie-in this morning, so we need to be extra quiet downstairs. I love my long lie-ins on Sundays.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
lie in something
to recline in something, such as a bed, a puddle, etc. I found my wallet lying in a puddle. My money was soaked! We found Jimmy lying in a pile of leaves, napping.
lie in
[for a woman] to lie in bed awaiting the birth of her child. The child is due soon, and the mother is lying in at the present time. She did not lie in at all. She worked right up to the onset of labor pains.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
lie in
1. Be in confinement for childbirth, as in She thought she'd be lying in by next week. This usage is probably dying out. The name of Boston's Lying-In Hospital was changed to Women's Hospital in the 1970s. [Mid-1400s]
2. Also,
lie in one's hands or in one's power . Rest or depend on something or someone, as in
The solution lies in research, or
The decision lies in the President's hands, or
It does not lie in my power to turn this situation around. [Mid-1300s] Also see
lie in wait;
lie through one's teeth.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
lie in
v.1. To recline or rest in something: He lies in bed. The book lay in a puddle of mud.
2. To consist of or have something as a basis: Our continued success lies in our commitment to service.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.