lying-in
/'laiiɳ'in/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The concluding state of pregnancy; the period from the onset of labor contractions to the birth of a child: This term refers to the process of childbirth itself, specifically the time a woman spends in labor and delivery.
- The condition of being confined to bed during and after childbirth; a confinement: This is an older, more traditional meaning, referring to the period of rest and recovery for a mother following the birth of her child.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Her lying-in lasted nearly twelve hours before the baby was born.
- In the 19th century, a woman's lying-in could last for several weeks as she recovered.
Advanced Usage
- The term "lying-in" is now considered somewhat archaic or historical in modern English. It has largely been replaced by terms like "labor and delivery" or simply "childbirth" for the process, and "postpartum recovery" for the period after.
- It was commonly used in compound nouns to describe related institutions or practices, such as "lying-in hospital" (a maternity hospital) or "lying-in period."
Variants and Related Words
- Lying-in hospital (n): An old-fashioned term for a maternity hospital or a hospital specializing in childbirth.
- She was admitted to the lying-in hospital for the birth of her first child.
- To lie in (phrasal verb): This is a separate, common phrasal verb meaning to stay in bed later than usual in the morning. It is not directly related to childbirth in modern usage.
- I like to lie in on Sundays.
Synonyms
- Labor: The process of childbirth, especially the contractions and effort to push the baby out.
- Childbirth: The act of giving birth to a child.
- Confinement (archaic): An old term for the period of rest during and after childbirth.
- Parturition (formal/medical): The action of giving birth.
Related Phrases
- In labor: The state of experiencing contractions and the process of childbirth.
- She has been in labor since early this morning.
- Postpartum period: The period following childbirth.
Notes on Meaning
- The primary modern understanding of "lying-in" is the first definition: the concluding stage of pregnancy culminating in birth. Its secondary meaning, the postpartum recovery period, is historical.
- It is important to distinguish this term from the phrasal verb "lie in" (to sleep late), which is unrelated in meaning and context.
Noun
- concluding state of pregnancy; from the onset of contractions to the birth of a child
- she was in labor for six hours