lie in
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To be brought to bed in childbirth.
Register: archaic
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
he had been driven to it by the distress he mentioned, the greatest indeed imaginable, that of five hungry children, and a wife lying in of the sixth, in the utmost want and misery.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
To stay in bed (longer than usual).
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “lie in” mean?
To be brought to bed in childbirth.
Is “lie in” formal or informal?
lie in is generally archaic.