lie, prevaricate, equivocate, palter, fib mean to tell an untruth. lie is the blunt term, imputing dishonesty.

A lie is something that someone says or writes which they know is untrue. "Who else do you work for?"—"No one."—"That's a lie." I've had enough of your lies.

1. A false statement deliberately presented as being true; a falsehood. 2. Something meant to deceive or mistakenly accepted as true: learned his parents had been swindlers and felt his whole childhood …

v.t. 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 lie in one's throat or teeth, to lie grossly or maliciously: If she …

To take something lying down is to accept something bad, such as an insult or unfair treatment, without trying to fight against it. She likes to lie in [= sleep in] on Saturdays. The prisoners had to lie low after …

A lie is something that someone says that is not true to make others believe that the lie is the truth. People can have many reasons for lying, such as to hide something or get something, or white lies.

A barefaced lie is one that is obviously a lie to those hearing it. A Big Lie is a lie which attempts to trick the victim into believing something major which will likely be contradicted by some information the …

I told a lie when I said I liked her haircut. (Definition of lie from the Webster's Essential Mini Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

lie: To be or place oneself at rest in a flat, horizontal, or recumbent position; recline.

Definition of lie verb in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.