give the lie to

English

Alternative forms

give lie to
put the lie to
put to lie

Verb

give the lie to

(idiomatic, transitive) to prove (something) to be false; to refute.
They found plenty of email that gave the lie to his assertion that he didn't know about the incident.
- 1934, Agatha Christie, chapter 9, in Murder on the Orient Express, London: HarperCollins, published 2017, page 262:
  'The automatic under his pillow gave the lie to that statement.'

Synonyms

(to contradict or show to be false): contradict, belie

Translations

to prove (something) to be false

Finnish: kiistää (fi), osoittaa vääräksi
Polish: zadać kłam pf, zadawać kłam impf

Spanish: desmentir (es)

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