lie with

Idioms

Be decided by, dependent on, or up to. For example, The choice of restaurant lies with you. Starting about 1300 this phrase meant “to have sexual intercourse with,” a usage that is now obsolete. [Late 1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

While backing France's right to impose such a ban, the European Commission in January said that any enforcement would lie with the European Union, provided the bill conforms to the bloc's laws.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

“Their faces serve as a constant reminder of what has been lost. The responsibility to keep children safe online should not lie with parents alone,” the website for the memorial said.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026

For this reason, all the blame cannot lie with him individually.

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2025

Mr. Kurlansky’s heart seems to lie with the pacifists, even as he recognizes their practical shortcomings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 9, 2025

‘I know telling a lie with you is useless. And stop doing that duck'that’s'forgotten'how'to-quack look!’

From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023