to give the lie to
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To show that such and such a statement is false ; to belie. Lie (A.S. licgan, to 'bide or rest).
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to give the lie to” mean?
To show that such and such a statement is false ; to belie. Lie (A.S. licgan, to 'bide or rest).
Is “to give the lie to” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.