lie down

verb

lay down; lain down; lying down; lies down

: to submit meekly or abjectly to defeat, disappointment, or insult

—used chiefly in the phrase take (something) lying down

… if Walker does get the go-ahead to implement his anti-union law, the teachers in Madison aren't going to take it lying down, Matthew says. They may walk out on the job again.—

Matthew Rothschild

: to fail to perform or to neglect one's part deliberately

—used chiefly in the phrase lie down on the job

While the Sanitation Department was accused of lying down on the job, the police were accused of harassment …—

Walter Thabit

Examples of lie down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web First-time homebuyers, in particular, remained eager to stop renting and lay down roots. —

Genevieve Redsten, Journal Sentinel, 21 May 2024 The event takes place early on in the novel as John lies down after suffering a headache. —

Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 21 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for lie down

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lie down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.