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# liar

noun (a liar, liars)

«liar» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A liar is a person who tells lies, saying things they know are not true to trick someone. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/liar/#m1)
2. Calling someone a liar means you think they are not telling the truth. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/liar/#m2)

### In the lessons

In lessons on truth, lies and tricks, «liar» teaches that people who lie lose trust; in stories like «The Boy Who Cried Wolf» nobody believes the liar when the truth matters. Calling someone a liar is a strong, rude thing to say, so it is better to say «I don't think that's true». Phrases: «a terrible liar» (bad at lying), «a big liar», «liar, liar, pants on fire» (a playground rhyme).

### Examples

- The boy who cried wolf was a liar, so nobody came to help. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/liar/#x1)
- Don't call your sister a liar; ask her what happened. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/liar/#x2)
- He is a terrible liar; he always goes red. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/liar/#x3)
- A good friend is not a liar. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/liar/#x4)
- Nobody believed the liar when he finally told the truth. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/liar/#x5)
- The detective worked out who the liar was. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/liar/#x6)
- Liar, liar, pants on fire! shouted the children in the story. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/liar/#x7)
- "You are an impudent liar!" cried the genius. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/liar/#x8)

### Note

Spelled «-ar», not «-er» (a common spelling trap). Verb «lie, lied, lying» (tell an untrue thing); do not mix with «lie, lay, lain» (to lie down). Saying something wrong by mistake does not make you a liar; a liar knows it is untrue.

## In Jewish tradition

A liar is someone who speaks falsely, whether to people or about God. Proverbs warns that anyone who adds to God's words will be found a liar.

**Interpretation.** Jewish tradition treats truth as a deep value and lying as a serious wrong. The Torah's command to keep far from a false matter is read as a warning against all deceit.

### Examples

- I said in my haste: 'All men are liars.' (Writings PSA.116.11, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liar/#x1)
- A evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; and a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue. (Writings PRO.17.4, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liar/#x2)
- Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. (Writings PRO.30.6, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liar/#x3)

### Note

Spelled «-ar», not «-er» (a common spelling trap). Verb «lie, lied, lying» (tell an untrue thing); do not mix with «lie, lay, lain» (to lie down). Saying something wrong by mistake does not make you a liar; a liar knows it is untrue.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «liar» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/liar/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«liar» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/liar.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «liar» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liar/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«liar» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/liar.html) on Mova free.