Lie: meaning, definitions and examples

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lie

[ laɪ ]

Noun / Verb

Oxford 3000

^{Context #1 | Noun}

telling untruth

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

Synonyms

deception, falsehood, fib, untruth.

Examples of usage

He told a lie to avoid getting in trouble.
She caught him in a lie about his whereabouts.

^{Context #2 | Verb}

not telling the truth

To make a statement that one knows is false, especially with the intent to deceive.

Synonyms

deceive, fabricate, fib, mislead.

Examples of usage

He tends to lie about his achievements.
She lied to her parents about her whereabouts.

Translations

Translations of the word "lie" in other languages:

🇵🇹 mentir

🇮🇳 झूठ बोलना

🇩🇪 lügen

🇮🇩 berbohong

🇺🇦 брехати

🇵🇱 kłamać

🇯🇵 嘘をつく (うそをつく)

🇫🇷 mentir

🇪🇸 mentir

🇹🇷 yalan söylemek

🇰🇷 거짓말하다

🇸🇦 يكذب

🇨🇿 lhát

🇸🇰 klamať

🇨🇳 撒谎 (sāhuǎng)

🇸🇮 lagati

🇮🇸 ljúga

🇰🇿 өтірік айту

🇬🇪 მატყუარა

🇦🇿 yalan danışmaq

🇲🇽 mentir

Etymology

The word 'lie' originates from the Old English word 'lyge', which means a falsehood. The concept of lying has been present in human communication for centuries, with various cultural attitudes towards it. In many societies, lying is considered unethical or immoral, as it involves deceiving others. The act of lying can have a significant impact on relationships and trust between individuals.

See also: liar, lien, lies, lying, underlying.

Word Frequency Rank

This word ranks #1,665, placing it within important intermediate vocabulary. Learning it will significantly improve your ability to express yourself in English.

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1662 assigned
1663 regulation
1664 birth
1665 lie
1666 release
1667 spoke
1668 travel
...