What does 'lying around" mean when working on a task? [closed]
It may be physically lying around (as paper on a heap or shelf, in a cupboard) but usually means much more than mere physical presence.
In most usage it refers to the fact that it had been prepared earlier for some reason, was perhaps never used for the original purpose, but is now suited to the present purpose. As such it could be "lying around" in a computer. It is only metaphorically lying around.