What is the meaning of lying in wait?

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noun

The act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise.
- synonyms: ambush, ambuscade, trap

verb

Wait in hiding to attack.
- synonyms: ambush, scupper, bushwhack, waylay, lurk, ambuscade, lie in wait

adjective

Waiting in concealment; in ambush.
- usage: "an army lying in wait in the forest"

WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University

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APA	WordNet. (2010). lying in wait. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/lying_in_wait/definitions/1177923
Chicago	WordNet. 2010. "lying in wait" http://smartdefine.org/lying_in_wait/definitions/1177923 (accessed September 20, 2026).
Harvard	WordNet 2010, lying in wait, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/lying_in_wait/definitions/1177923>.
MLA	WordNet. "lying in wait" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/lying_in_wait/definitions/1177923>

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