Phrasal verb
lie around
Definition
phrasal verb. to spend time doing nothing or relaxing, often in a lazy way.
phrasal verb. to remain in a particular place without moving or working, often implying inactivity or idleness; typically intransitive and separable.
Examples
“I like to lie around on weekends.”
“After finishing his work, he decided to lie around and watch TV all afternoon.”
“The students, having completed their exams, spent the following week lying around and enjoying the sunshine.”
Examples
simple
“I like to lie around on weekends.”
contextual
“After finishing his work, he decided to lie around and watch TV all afternoon.”
complex
“The students, having completed their exams, spent the following week lying around and enjoying the sunshine.”
Usage
intransitive; no object required, but can be separated in some contexts.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'lie down' (to recline intentionally) and 'laze around' (a near-synonym with a slightly more negative connotation).
Pitfall
He lied around the house all day.
He lay around the house all day.
'lie' is the correct past tense form, not 'lied', which is the past of 'to lie' (to tell a falsehood).
Phrasal verb
Particles
around
Separability
separable
Pattern
lie + around (intransitive)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/lie-around