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Phrase Meanings » lie in
What does "lie in" mean?
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Be in confinement for childbirth, as in She thought she'd be lying in by next week. This usage is probably dying out. The name of Boston's Lying-In Hospital was changed to Women's Hospital in the 1970s. [Mid-1400s]
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Also, lie in one's hands or in one's power. Rest or depend on something or someone, as in The solution lies in research, or The decision lies in the President's hands, or It does not lie in my power to turn this situation around. [Mid-1300s] Also see lie in wait; lie through one's teeth.