Is it “lier, lier, pants on fire”? Or “liar, liar, pants on fire”?

The correct answer is “liar, liar, pants on fire.”

We call a person who buys a buyer, but why do we call a person who lies (tells a false statement) a liar, not a lier? We simply add an “er” to “buy,” but why does the same not apply to “lie”?

In English, there are thousands of exceptions, and this is one of the many. Although lier is a legitimate word itself, it does not mean a person who tells the opposite of the truth. Here are the fundamental differences between the two words.

Liar: someone who tells a false, deceptive statement
Lier: someone or something that rests flat on a surface

Lier and liar are noun forms of two different definitions of the word lie. Lier comes from the lie that means to assume a horizontal resting position, and liar is derived from the lie that means intentionally telling a false statement.

What kind of person would be a liar? Suppose Jan is a five-year-old girl who broke a flower vase in her house by knocking it over. However, when asked by her father if she broke the vase, Jan says she did not and that the vase just fell on its own. In this situation, Jan is a liar because she intentionally told a false statement to her father.

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Then, what kind of person is a lier? Let’s say there is a young man named Devin sleeping on a grass field near the ocean. His entire back and legs are stretched out horizontally on the grass, so he is a lier on the grass.

Another classic use of the word lier is when it is used to describe a person who is lying close to the ground in preparation for an ambush.

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The word lier, however, is not commonly used regardless of how it is used.

According to Google Ngram, liar is much more commonly used in published books than lier.

Common idioms/phrases

The word "liar" is often used in idiomatic expressions and phrases to describe someone who is dishonest or deceitful. Here are some common idioms and phrases that use "liar" or "liar":

  1. Pants on fire: This is a playful and informal way to accuse someone of lying, often used in response to an obvious untruth. For example, "You said you weren't involved, but your pants are on fire!"
  2. Liar, liar, pants on fire: This is an extension of the previous idiom, often used by children to call someone out for lying.
  3. Call someone a liar to their face: This means to directly accuse someone of lying, often in a confrontational manner.
  4. Liar's paradox: This is a philosophical and logical concept that involves a self-referential statement, like "This statement is false." It explores the idea of statements that cannot be consistently categorized as true or false.
  5. Lie through one's teeth: This phrase means to tell a deliberate and blatant lie without any shame or hesitation.
  6. Give the lie to something: This idiom is used to say that someone's actions or evidence contradicts a statement or claim, exposing it as false. For example, "His alibi gave the lie to his claim of innocence."
  7. A liar is not believed even when he speaks the truth: This saying emphasizes that a person with a reputation for dishonesty will have a difficult time gaining trust, even when telling the truth.
  8. Liar's dice: This is a traditional dice game that involves bluffing and deception, often played for fun.
  9. Liar's poker: This is a gambling game that involves bluffing and the use of numbers or poker chips to represent bids, often played informally.

These idiomatic expressions and phrases involving "liar" highlight the concept of dishonesty and the consequences or methods associated with lying.

Practice questions

  1. The lier/liar in the bed slowly got up and brushed his teeth.
  2. She is a lier/liar; she deceived us by falsifying her records.
  3. Do you think Melody is a lier/liar or telling the truth?
  4. A lier/liar usually has to cover his lies with even more lies.
  5. The dog was stretched out, snoozing on the grass when its owner picked up the lazy lier and took it home.
  6. The young boy was a compulsive lier/liar who would habitually make up false stories about people.
  7. Do you think someone is a lier/liar if they are simply hiding the truth?
  8. Jocelyn is a pathological lier/liar who lies in order to get what she wants.
  9. The lier/liar in the bush kept his body flat to the ground, ready to pounce on his next victim.

If you still are having trouble distinguishing between lier and liar, check out Engram where our AI proofreader can help guide you in the right direction.

Answers:

  1. lier
  2. liar
  3. liar
  4. liar
  5. lier
  6. liar
  7. liar
  8. liar
  9. lier
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