be laid low—
1. (of a disease or injury) cause a person to take to bed:
- I’ve been laid low with this cough most of the winter.
2. be defeated or forced into a humble position:
- Kidd was laid low by an incredible run of sheer bad luck.
Note:
a) The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase be low—feel weak or depressed; be in low spirits:
- I am low today. What is it that makes one day good and another bad?
b) The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase be laid up—
1. = be laid low 1:
- The test pilot, Robert Turner, was laid up with back injuries for months.
2. (of a ship) be put in dock, as for repairs:
- In 1910 she stranded in Singapore and was laid up with hull damage.
lie low—keep a low profile; try to be inconspicuous:
- Sarah decided to lie low until the train got underway again.