liar

She paused and took a defiant breath. ‘If you don't believe me, I can't help it. But I'm not a liar.’ ¶ ‘No,’ said Luke, grinning at her. ‘You're not dull enough![…]What about the kid's clothes? I don't suppose they were anything to write home about, but didn't you keep anything?[…]’

1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 15, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:

A person who frequently lies; someone who tells a lie.

The Swabber is to keep the Cabbins, and all the Rooms of the Ship clean within board, and the Liar to do the like without board. The Liar holds his Place but for a week; and he that is first taken with a Lie upon a Monday morning, […] for that week he is under the Swabber, and meddles not with making clean the Ship within board, but without.

1703, Sir William Monson, Sir William Monson's Naval Tracts in Six Books, page 348:

The swabber, perhaps the lowliest position on the ship, was responsible for cleaning the decks. By tradition, each Monday a new crewmember was appointed the liar—the first person caught telling a lie the previous week.

2005, Caleb H. Johnson, The Mayflower and Her Passengers, page 35:

(nautical, obsolete) A swabber responsible for cleaning the outside parts of the ship rather than the cabins, a role traditionally assigned to a person caught telling a lie the previous week.

From Middle English lier, liere, lyere, liȝer, lieȝer, legher, from Old English lēgere, lēogere (“liar, false witness, hypocrite”), from Proto-West Germanic *leugārī, from Proto-Germanic *leugārijaz (“liar”), from *leuganą (“to lie”) + *-ārijaz, equivalent to lie + -ar. More at lie.


liar

uncivilized, uncultured, primitive, barbaric, savage, wild.

illegal, unlawful, outlawed, unauthorized.


liar

pt-verb

liar (first-person singular present lio, first-person singular preterite liei, past participle liado)

lio (first-person present singular)
liei (first-person preterite singular)
liado (participle past)
liar (impersonal infinitive)
liar (first-person infinitive singular)
liares (infinitive second-person singular)
liar (infinitive singular third-person)
liarmos (first-person infinitive plural)
liardes (infinitive plural second-person)
liarem (infinitive plural third-person)
liando (gerund)
liado (masculine participle past singular)
liados (masculine participle past plural)
liada (feminine participle past singular)
liadas (feminine participle past plural)
lio (first-person indicative present singular)
lias (indicative present second-person singular)
lia (indicative present singular third-person)
liamos (first-person indicative plural present)
liais (indicative plural present second-person)
liam (indicative plural present third-person)
liava (first-person imperfect indicative singular)
liavas (imperfect indicative second-person singular)
liava (imperfect indicative singular third-person)
liávamos (first-person imperfect indicative plural)
liáveis (imperfect indicative plural second-person)
liavam (imperfect indicative plural third-person)
liei (first-person indicative preterite singular)
liaste (indicative preterite second-person singular)
liou (indicative preterite singular third-person)
liamos (Brazil first-person indicative plural preterite)
liámos (first-person indicative plural preterite)
liastes (indicative plural preterite second-person)
liaram (indicative plural preterite third-person)
liara (first-person indicative pluperfect singular)
liaras (indicative pluperfect second-person singular)
liara (indicative pluperfect singular third-person)
liáramos (first-person indicative pluperfect plural)
liáreis (indicative pluperfect plural second-person)
liaram (indicative pluperfect plural third-person)
liarei (first-person future indicative singular)
liarás (future indicative second-person singular)
liará (future indicative singular third-person)
liaremos (first-person future indicative plural)
liareis (future indicative plural second-person)
liarão (future indicative plural third-person)
liaria (conditional first-person singular)
liarias (conditional second-person singular)
liaria (conditional singular third-person)
liaríamos (conditional first-person plural)
liaríeis (conditional plural second-person)
liariam (conditional plural third-person)
lie (first-person present singular subjunctive)
lies (present second-person singular subjunctive)
lie (present singular subjunctive third-person)
liemos (first-person plural present subjunctive)
lieis (plural present second-person subjunctive)
liem (plural present subjunctive third-person)
liasse (first-person imperfect singular subjunctive)
liasses (imperfect second-person singular subjunctive)
liasse (imperfect singular subjunctive third-person)
liássemos (first-person imperfect plural subjunctive)
liásseis (imperfect plural second-person subjunctive)
liassem (imperfect plural subjunctive third-person)
liar (first-person future singular subjunctive)
liares (future second-person singular subjunctive)
liar (future singular subjunctive third-person)
liarmos (first-person future plural subjunctive)
liardes (future plural second-person subjunctive)
liarem (future plural subjunctive third-person)
lia (imperative second-person singular)
lie (imperative singular third-person)
liemos (first-person imperative plural)
liai (imperative plural second-person)
liem (imperative plural third-person)
não lies (imperative negative second-person singular)
não lie (imperative negative singular third-person)
não liemos (first-person imperative negative plural)
não lieis (imperative negative plural second-person)
não liem (imperative negative plural third-person)

Possibly borrowed from Old French lier, from Latin ligāre. Doublet of ligar and legar.


liar

(reflexive, colloquial, Spain) to french, snog, make out

es-verb

liar (first-person singular present lío, first-person singular preterite lie, past participle liado)

lío (first-person present singular)
lie (first-person preterite singular)
liado (participle past)
liar (infinitive)
liando (gerund)
liado (masculine participle past singular)
liada (feminine participle past singular)
liados (masculine participle past plural)
liadas (feminine participle past plural)
lío (first-person indicative present singular)
lías (indicative informal present second-person singular)
lias (indicative informal present second-person singular vos-form)
lía (indicative present singular third-person)
liamos (first-person indicative plural present)
liais (indicative plural present second-person)
lían (indicative plural present third-person)
liaba (first-person imperfect indicative singular)
liabas (imperfect indicative second-person singular)
liaba (imperfect indicative singular third-person)
liábamos (first-person imperfect indicative plural)
liabais (imperfect indicative plural second-person)
liaban (imperfect indicative plural third-person)
lie (first-person indicative preterite singular)
liaste (indicative preterite second-person singular)
lio (indicative preterite singular third-person)
liamos (first-person indicative plural preterite)
liasteis (indicative plural preterite second-person)
liaron (indicative plural preterite third-person)
liaré (first-person future indicative singular)
liarás (future indicative second-person singular)
liará (future indicative singular third-person)
liaremos (first-person future indicative plural)
liaréis (future indicative plural second-person)
liarán (future indicative plural third-person)
liaría (conditional first-person indicative singular)
liarías (conditional indicative second-person singular)
liaría (conditional indicative singular third-person)
liaríamos (conditional first-person indicative plural)
liaríais (conditional indicative plural second-person)
liarían (conditional indicative plural third-person)
líe (first-person present singular subjunctive)
líes (informal present second-person singular subjunctive)
lies (informal present second-person singular subjunctive vos-form)
líe (present singular subjunctive third-person)
liemos (first-person plural present subjunctive)
lieis (plural present second-person subjunctive)
líen (plural present subjunctive third-person)
liara (first-person imperfect singular subjunctive)
liaras (imperfect second-person singular subjunctive)
liara (imperfect singular subjunctive third-person)
liáramos (first-person imperfect plural subjunctive)
liarais (imperfect plural second-person subjunctive)
liaran (imperfect plural subjunctive third-person)
liase (first-person imperfect imperfect-se singular subjunctive)
liases (imperfect imperfect-se second-person singular subjunctive)
liase (imperfect imperfect-se singular subjunctive third-person)
liásemos (first-person imperfect imperfect-se plural subjunctive)
liaseis (imperfect imperfect-se plural second-person subjunctive)
liasen (imperfect imperfect-se plural subjunctive third-person)
liare (first-person future singular subjunctive)
liares (future second-person singular subjunctive)
liare (future singular subjunctive third-person)
liáremos (first-person future plural subjunctive)
liareis (future plural second-person subjunctive)
liaren (future plural subjunctive third-person)
lía (imperative informal second-person singular)
lia (imperative informal second-person singular vos-form)
líe (formal imperative second-person-semantically singular third-person)
líe (imperative singular third-person)
liemos (first-person imperative plural)
liad (imperative plural second-person)
líen (formal imperative plural second-person-semantically third-person)
líen (imperative plural third-person)
líes (imperative negative second-person singular)
líe (formal imperative negative second-person-semantically singular third-person)
líe (imperative negative singular third-person)
liemos (first-person imperative negative plural)
lieis (imperative negative plural second-person)
líen (formal imperative negative plural second-person-semantically third-person)
líen (imperative negative plural third-person)
liarme (combined-form dative infinitive object-first-person object-singular)
liarte (combined-form dative infinitive object-second-person object-singular)
liarle (combined-form dative infinitive object-singular object-third-person)
liarse (combined-form dative infinitive object-singular object-third-person)
liarnos (combined-form dative infinitive object-first-person object-plural)
liaros (combined-form dative infinitive object-plural object-second-person)
liarles (combined-form dative infinitive object-plural object-third-person)
liarse (combined-form dative infinitive object-plural object-third-person)
liarme (accusative combined-form infinitive object-first-person object-singular)
liarte (accusative combined-form infinitive object-second-person object-singular)
liarlo (accusative combined-form infinitive object-singular object-third-person)
liarla (accusative combined-form infinitive object-singular object-third-person)
liarse (accusative combined-form infinitive object-singular object-third-person)
liarnos (accusative combined-form infinitive object-first-person object-plural)
liaros (accusative combined-form infinitive object-plural object-second-person)
liarlos (accusative combined-form infinitive object-plural object-third-person)
liarlas (accusative combined-form infinitive object-plural object-third-person)
liarse (accusative combined-form infinitive object-plural object-third-person)
liándome (combined-form dative gerund object-first-person object-singular)
liándote (combined-form dative gerund object-second-person object-singular)
liándole (combined-form dative gerund object-singular object-third-person)
liándose (combined-form dative gerund object-singular object-third-person)
liándonos (combined-form dative gerund object-first-person object-plural)
liándoos (combined-form dative gerund object-plural object-second-person)
liándoles (combined-form dative gerund object-plural object-third-person)
liándose (combined-form dative gerund object-plural object-third-person)
liándome (accusative combined-form gerund object-first-person object-singular)
liándote (accusative combined-form gerund object-second-person object-singular)
liándolo (accusative combined-form gerund object-singular object-third-person)
liándola (accusative combined-form gerund object-singular object-third-person)
liándose (accusative combined-form gerund object-singular object-third-person)
liándonos (accusative combined-form gerund object-first-person object-plural)
liándoos (accusative combined-form gerund object-plural object-second-person)
liándolos (accusative combined-form gerund object-plural object-third-person)
liándolas (accusative combined-form gerund object-plural object-third-person)
liándose (accusative combined-form gerund object-plural object-third-person)
líame (combined-form dative imperative informal object-first-person object-singular second-person singular with-tú)
líate (combined-form dative imperative informal object-second-person object-singular second-person singular with-tú)
líale (combined-form dative imperative informal object-singular object-third-person second-person singular with-tú)
líanos (combined-form dative imperative informal object-first-person object-plural second-person singular with-tú)
líales (combined-form dative imperative informal object-plural object-third-person second-person singular with-tú)
líame (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-first-person object-singular second-person singular with-tú)
líate (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-second-person object-singular second-person singular with-tú)
líalo (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-singular object-third-person second-person singular with-tú)
líala (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-singular object-third-person second-person singular with-tú)
líanos (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-first-person object-plural second-person singular with-tú)
líalos (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-plural object-third-person second-person singular with-tú)
líalas (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-plural object-third-person second-person singular with-tú)
liame (combined-form dative imperative informal object-first-person object-singular second-person singular with-vos)
liate (combined-form dative imperative informal object-second-person object-singular second-person singular with-vos)
liale (combined-form dative imperative informal object-singular object-third-person second-person singular with-vos)
lianos (combined-form dative imperative informal object-first-person object-plural second-person singular with-vos)
liales (combined-form dative imperative informal object-plural object-third-person second-person singular with-vos)
liame (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-first-person object-singular second-person singular with-vos)
liate (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-second-person object-singular second-person singular with-vos)
lialo (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-singular object-third-person second-person singular with-vos)
liala (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-singular object-third-person second-person singular with-vos)
lianos (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-first-person object-plural second-person singular with-vos)
lialos (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-plural object-third-person second-person singular with-vos)
lialas (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-plural object-third-person second-person singular with-vos)
líeme (combined-form dative formal imperative object-first-person object-singular second-person singular)
líele (combined-form dative formal imperative object-singular object-third-person second-person singular)
líese (combined-form dative formal imperative object-singular object-third-person second-person singular)
líenos (combined-form dative formal imperative object-first-person object-plural second-person singular)
líeles (combined-form dative formal imperative object-plural object-third-person second-person singular)
líeme (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-first-person object-singular second-person singular)
líelo (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-singular object-third-person second-person singular)
líela (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-singular object-third-person second-person singular)
líese (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-singular object-third-person second-person singular)
líenos (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-first-person object-plural second-person singular)
líelos (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-plural object-third-person second-person singular)
líelas (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-plural object-third-person second-person singular)
liémoste (combined-form dative first-person imperative object-second-person object-singular plural)
liémosle (combined-form dative first-person imperative object-singular object-third-person plural)
liémonos (combined-form dative first-person imperative object-first-person object-plural plural)
liémoos (combined-form dative first-person imperative object-plural object-second-person plural)
liémosles (combined-form dative first-person imperative object-plural object-third-person plural)
liémoste (accusative combined-form first-person imperative object-second-person object-singular plural)
liémoslo (accusative combined-form first-person imperative object-singular object-third-person plural)
liémosla (accusative combined-form first-person imperative object-singular object-third-person plural)
liémonos (accusative combined-form first-person imperative object-first-person object-plural plural)
liémoos (accusative combined-form first-person imperative object-plural object-second-person plural)
liémoslos (accusative combined-form first-person imperative object-plural object-third-person plural)
liémoslas (accusative combined-form first-person imperative object-plural object-third-person plural)
liadme (combined-form dative imperative informal object-first-person object-singular plural second-person)
liadle (combined-form dative imperative informal object-singular object-third-person plural second-person)
liadnos (combined-form dative imperative informal object-first-person object-plural plural second-person)
liaos (combined-form dative imperative informal object-plural object-second-person plural second-person)
liadles (combined-form dative imperative informal object-plural object-third-person plural second-person)
liadme (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-first-person object-singular plural second-person)
liadlo (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-singular object-third-person plural second-person)
liadla (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-singular object-third-person plural second-person)
liadnos (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-first-person object-plural plural second-person)
liaos (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-plural object-second-person plural second-person)
liadlos (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-plural object-third-person plural second-person)
liadlas (accusative combined-form imperative informal object-plural object-third-person plural second-person)
líenme (combined-form dative formal imperative object-first-person object-singular plural second-person)
líenle (combined-form dative formal imperative object-singular object-third-person plural second-person)
líennos (combined-form dative formal imperative object-first-person object-plural plural second-person)
líenles (combined-form dative formal imperative object-plural object-third-person plural second-person)
líense (combined-form dative formal imperative object-plural object-third-person plural second-person)
líenme (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-first-person object-singular plural second-person)
líenlo (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-singular object-third-person plural second-person)
líenla (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-singular object-third-person plural second-person)
líennos (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-first-person object-plural plural second-person)
líenlos (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-plural object-third-person plural second-person)
líenlas (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-plural object-third-person plural second-person)
líense (accusative combined-form formal imperative object-plural object-third-person plural second-person)

From Latin ligāre, possibly through the intermediate of Old French lier in the Middle Ages, as it appeared relatively late in Spanish texts. See also the doublet ligar, a semi-learned term, as well as the inherited Old Spanish form legar (“to tie, bind”) (in modern Spanish, this word survives as a rare regionalism, often with a specialized sense such as "tie or bind a sheep for shearing", or "to join together, unite"). Compare Sicilian alligari.