Definition of lie2

lie2noun

nói dối2

/laɪ//laɪ/

Word OriginOld English lyge (noun), lēogan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch liegen and German lügen.

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Idioms

give the lie to something
(formal)to show that something is not true
  • These new figures give the lie to the belief that unemployment is going down.
    • I tell a lie
    (British English, informal)used to say that something you have just said is not true or correct
  • We first met in 2006, no, I tell a lie, it was 2007.
    • live a lie
    to keep something important about yourself a secret from other people, so that they do not know what you really think, what you are really like, etc.
  • He lived a lie for thirty years, ‘married’ to two women.
    • a tissue of lies
    (literary)a story, an excuse, etc. that is full of lies