how the land [lie]
1
the assessment or understanding of the current state or conditions of a particular situation or context, specifically at a specific point or period
The idiom "how the land lies" has its origins rooted in rural and agricultural imagery. It draws upon the idea of surveying or assessing the lay of the land, which refers to understanding the physical features and characteristics of a piece of land. It is commonly used in personal, social, or professional settings when seeking to gather information, make informed decisions, or assess a situation.
- I'm meeting with the team to discuss how the land lies regarding the project's progress.
- Yesterday, we had a meeting to assess how the land lay after the changes in leadership.
- Tomorrow, we will have a conference call to determine how the land will lie for the upcoming marketing campaign.
- They are constantly monitoring how the land is lying in the market to make strategic decisions.
- During the negotiation process, we were constantly trying to understand how the land was lying for both parties.