lay low

Verb

 * 1)  To topple or overcome; to cause to fall; (of a person) to knock out.
 * He was laid low by a vicious blow to the head.
 * 1)  To put in an abject condition.
 * 1)  To put in an abject condition.

Verb

 * 1)  To lie low, to be inconspicuous, especially when the potential object of search.
 * 2) * 1969, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, “The Boxer”, Bridge over Troubled Water, Columbia Records:
 * Laying low, seeking out the poorer quarters Where the ragged people go
 * 1) * 1969, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, “The Boxer”, Bridge over Troubled Water, Columbia Records:
 * Laying low, seeking out the poorer quarters Where the ragged people go
 * 1) * 1969, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, “The Boxer”, Bridge over Troubled Water, Columbia Records:
 * Laying low, seeking out the poorer quarters Where the ragged people go

Usage notes

 * The verb to lay is a transitive verb, which means it requires an object (such as an egg). In this case the word 'low' could be substituted for any prepositional phrase, such as in the straw.
 * Future: 'The hen is going to lay an egg low.'
 * Present: 'The hen is laying an egg low.'
 * Past: 'The hen laid an egg low.'
 * Past perfect: 'The hen had laid an egg low.'
 * The alternation between lie low and lay low stems from the fact that the past tense of to lie (intransitive verb) is lay; whereas the past tense of to lay (transitive verb) is laid. Also, in this case lie low is an idiom so both words must be used together; this is consistent with many other idioms, such as 'hurry up,' for example.

Synonyms

 * lie low