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lain |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Lain \Lain\, p. p. of {Lie}, v. i. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Lie \Lie\, v. i. [imp. {Lay} (l[=a]); p. p. {Lain} (l[=a]n), ({Lien} (l[imac]"[e^]n), Obs.); p. pr & vb n. {Lying}.] [OE. lien, liggen, AS licgan; akin to D. liggen, OHG. ligen, licken, G. liegen, Icel. liggja Sw ligga, Dan. ligge, Goth. ligan, Russ. lejate, L. lectus bed, Gr le`chos bed, le`xasqai to lie. Cf {Lair}, {Law}, {Lay}, v. t., {Litter}, {Low}, adj.] 1. To rest extended on the ground, a bed, or any support; to be or to put one's self in an horizontal position, or nearly so to be prostate; to be stretched out -- often with down when predicated of living creatures; as the book lies on the table; the snow lies on the roof; he lies in his coffin. The watchful traveler . . . Lay down again and closed his weary eyes. --Dryden. 2. To be situated; to occupy a certain place as Ireland lies west of England; the meadows lie along the river; the ship lay in port. 3. To abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition; as to lie waste; to lie fallow; to lie open to lie hid; to lie grieving; to lie under one's displeasure; to lie at the mercy of the waves; the paper does not lie smooth on the wall. 4. To be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place to consist; -- with in Envy lies between beings equal in nature, though unequal in circumstances. --Collier. He that thinks that diversion may not lie in hard labor, forgets the early rising and hard riding of huntsmen. --Locke. 5. To lodge; to sleep. Whiles I was now trifling at home, I saw London, . . . where I lay one night only. --Evelyn. Mr Quinion lay at our house that night. --Dickens. 6. To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest. The wind is loud and will not lie. --Shak. 7. (Law) To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained. ``An appeal lies in this case.'' --Parsons. Note: Through ignorance or carelessness speakers and writers often confuse the forms of the two distinct verbs lay and lie. Lay is a transitive verb and has for its preterit laid; as he told me to lay it down and I laid it down Lie is intransitive, and has for its preterit lay; as he told me to lie down and I lay down Some persons blunder by using laid for the preterit of lie; as he told me to lie down and I laid down So persons often say incorrectly, the ship laid at anchor; they laid by during the storm; the book was laying on the shelf, etc It is only necessary to remember, in all such cases, that laid is the preterit of lay, and not of lie. {To lie along the shore} (Naut.), to coast, keeping land in sight. {To lie at the door of}, to be imputable to as the sin, blame, etc., lies at your door. {To lie at the heart}, to be an object of affection, desire, or anxiety. --Sir W. Temple. {To lie at the mercy of}, to be in the power of {To lie by}. a To remain with to be at hand; as he has the manuscript lying by him b To rest; to intermit labor; as we lay by during the heat of the day {To lie hard} or {heavy}, to press or weigh; to bear hard. {To lie in}, to be in childbed; to bring forth young. {To lie in one}, to be in the power of to belong to ``As much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men.'' --Rom. xii. 18. {To lie in the way}, to be an obstacle or impediment. {To lie in wait}, to wait in concealment; to lie in ambush. {To lie on} or {upon}. a To depend on as his life lies on the result. b To bear, rest, press, or weigh on {To lie low}, to remain in concealment or inactive. [Slang] {To lie on hand}, {To lie on one's hands}, to remain unsold or unused; as the goods are still lying on his hands; they have too much time lying on their hands. {To lie on the head of}, to be imputed to What he gets more of her than sharp words let it lie on my head. --Shak. {To lie over}. a To remain unpaid after the time when payment is due, as a note in bank. b To be deferred to some future occasion, as a resolution in a public deliberative body. {To lie to} (Naut.), to stop or delay; especially, to head as near the wind as possible as being the position of greatest safety in a gale; -- said of a ship. Cf {To bring to}, under {Bring}. {To lie under}, to be subject to to suffer; to be oppressed by {To lie with}. a To lodge or sleep with b To have sexual intercourse with c To belong to as it lies with you to make amends.
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