Words ending in ie change them into y before ing; as, lie, lying. The following words conform to this rule:—
- lie
- belie
- outlie
- lie
- overlie
- underlie
- die
- hie
- tie
- untie
- vie
- outvie
RULE IV.
Words ending in y preceded by a consonant generally change y into i on taking an additional syllable; as, mercy, merciful, merciless; defy, defied, defies, defieth, defiant; busy, busier, busiest, business; ply, pliers; porphyry, porphyritic.
Exception I.—Y after a consonant is not changed into i before ing or ish; as, dry, drying, dryish.
Exception II.—Compounds usually retain y; as, mercy-seat, county-town, dairy-maid, skylight.
Remark.—Dryer, dryest, dryly, dryness, shyer, shyest, shyly, shyness, are undisputed exceptions to the rule; and slyer, slyest, slyly, slyness, are disputed exceptions.
RULE V.
Words ending in y preceded by a vowel retain the y; as, gay, gayly, gayness, gayety; pray, prayer, praying, prayed, prays.
Remark.—From day, lay, pay, say, stay, are formed daily, laid, paid, said, saith, staid. The regular words dayly, layed, payed, sayeth, and stayed, are sometimes used.