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- DictionaryLie in wait
- ▪ conceal oneself, waiting to surprise, attack, or catch someone
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lie in wait. idiom. Add to word list. Add to word list. to hide, ready to attack: The gunmen were lying in wait when Mr Predit came out of the hotel. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Hiding and disguising. be holed up idiom.
Definition of "lying in wait" The act of hiding in a hidden spot with the intent of attacking and causing harm or death to an unsuspecting individual ; How to use "lying in wait" in a sentence. The police officer found the suspect lying in wait in the alleyway, ready to ambush his victim.
adjective. waiting in concealment; in ambush. “an army lying in wait in the forest”. synonyms: concealed. hidden on any grounds for any motive. noun. the act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise. synonyms: ambuscade, ambush, trap.
Remain hidden while preparing to attack, as in The opposition was quietly lying in wait for the incumbent to make his first big mistake . This expression originally alluded to physical attacks and is now often used figuratively. [Mid-1400s] Also see lay for . Discover More.
To be waiting in a concealed position (for someone or something), especially in order to surprise. When I'm walking alone at night, I'm always worried that attackers are just lying in wait in the shadows. Agents for the anti-money sector have lain in wait for months to see if the corporation would fall for their new sting operation.
lie in wait (for someone or something) Fig. to stay still and hidden, waiting for someone or something. Bob was lying in wait for Anne so he could scold her about something. The assassin lay in wait for his target to approach. See also: lie, wait. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
lie in wait Remain hidden while preparing to attack, as in The opposition was quietly lying in wait for the incumbent to make his first big mistake . This expression originally alluded to physical attacks and is now often used figuratively.
