Have a lie-in means to stay in bed later than usual in the morning. People usually say it about a day off, when they don't have to get up to an alarm. The expression is British; Americans say sleep in, and that version is understood everywhere.
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have a lie-in; have a long lie-in; a lie-in at the weekend
- On Sundays I switch off my alarm and have a lie-in until ten.
- After the night flight from Bangkok, we had a long lie-in at the hotel.
- I can't have a lie-in tomorrow because the builders arrive at eight.
What changed
First versionOn Saturday I slept long and missed breakfast.
RevisionOn Saturday I had a lie-in and missed breakfast.
Slept long may look like a natural way to say “slept for a long time”, but English doesn't use it for a late morning. When someone stays in bed because they can afford to, use had a lie-in or slept in. Only this phrase was replaced.
Don't confuse lie-in with lie-down. Have a lie-down means to lie down for a short rest during the day, for example when you're tired: I've got a headache, so I'm going to have a lie-down. Have a lie-in is always about the morning and getting up late.
Your turn
It's a bank holiday tomorrow, so I'm switching off my alarm and having a ___.
Show the answer
lie-in — A day off and a switched-off alarm point to getting up late, and that's a lie-in. A lie-down is a short rest lying down during the day, and it has nothing to do with an alarm.
Write about your day off. Say what time you slept until and what you did when you got up.
Last Saturday I had a lie-in until half past ten and then made pancakes for the whole family.
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