1 C1 idiomatic formal
(Formal) to be postponed or deferred to a future meeting or date.
"The vote on the budget will lie over until the committee reconvenes next month."
inseparable
lie over
C1 formal inseparable intransitive
To be deferred or left pending until a later time; also (archaic/formal) to remain overnight somewhere on a journey.
In plain English
When a decision or item is left to be dealt with later; or an old word for stopping somewhere overnight during a trip.
What does "lie over" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 formal
(Archaic/formal) to stop and spend the night somewhere during a journey.
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To remain lying over or on top of something — as if an unresolved matter is resting atop a schedule.
Actually means
When a decision or item is left to be dealt with later; or an old word for stopping somewhere overnight during a trip.
Usage tip
The sense of being deferred (e.g., in a meeting or parliament) is formal. The travel sense is largely replaced by 'lay over' in American English or 'stop over' in British English. Both senses are infrequent in modern everyday speech.
Words that pair with "lie over"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
matter decision bill question business item
How to conjugate "lie over"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
lie over
I/you/we/they
3rd person
lies over
he/she/it
Past simple
lay over
yesterday
Past participle
lain over
have + pp
-ing form
lying over
continuous
Hear "lie over" in the wild
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