Browse all

lie in

B1 informal inseparable intransitive
In simple words

To stay in bed late on purpose; or when the solution or problem is found inside something.

Literal meaning: To be lying inside something or to remain lying in one's bed.

Meanings

1 B1 informal

(British English) to stay in bed later than usual in the morning.

"It's Saturday — I'm going to have a proper lie-in and not get up until noon."

Grammar: inseparable
2 B2 idiomatic neutral

To consist of or exist within something; to be found in a particular source or cause.

"The real challenge lies in convincing people to change their habits."

"The strength of the team lies in its diversity."

Grammar: inseparable
3 C1 formal

(Historical) for a woman to be confined to bed before and after giving birth.

Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes

The 'stay in bed late' sense is primarily British English; American English prefers 'sleep in'. As a noun, 'a lie-in' (British) means a morning spent in bed. The abstract sense 'the answer lies in...' is common in both British and American formal writing.

Commonly used with

morning weekend answer problem solution Saturday

Forms

Base
lie in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
lies in
he/she/it
Past simple
lay in
yesterday
Past participle
lain in
have + pp
-ing form
lying in
continuous

Understand "lie in" better

Try:

Real video examples

Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.

Want to master this phrasal verb?

Practice "lie in" on Looplines