lie with
C1 formal inseparable intransitive
In simple words
When it is someone's job or right to make a decision; or (very old/formal) to have sex with someone.
Literal meaning: To lie next to someone — physically sharing a bed or resting space.
Meanings
1 B2
idiomatic
formal
(Formal) for a decision, right, or responsibility to belong to a particular person or group.
"Ultimately, the decision lies with the shareholders, not the CEO."
Grammar: inseparable
2 C1 formal
(Archaic/literary) to have sexual intercourse with someone.
"And if a man lie with a woman having her sickness..."
— The King James Bible, Leviticus 20:18
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
The 'responsibility/decision' sense is found in formal writing and legal language: 'The decision lies with the board.' The sexual sense is archaic, Biblical, or literary (e.g., in the King James Bible). Learners should be aware of both to avoid misreading formal or historical texts.
Commonly used with
decision choice responsibility authority board government
Forms
Base
lie with
I/you/we/they
3rd person
lies with
he/she/it
Past simple
lay with
yesterday
Past participle
lain with
have + pp
-ing form
lying with
continuous
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