laid low

Friendly

The phrase "laid low" is an idiomatic expression in English that means someone has been made unable to do things, often because they are sick or injured. It suggests that the person has been knocked down, either physically or metaphorically, and cannot function as they normally would.

Explanation:

• Part of Speech: Adjective (when used to describe someone who is incapacitated)
• Meaning: When someone is "laid low," they are unable to participate in their usual activities, often due to illness or injury.

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "laid low" when talking about someone who is unwell or unable to work or function normally. It is often used in informal contexts.

Example Sentences:

1. After catching a bad cold, John was laid low for a week and couldn't go to work.
2. The athlete was laid low by an injury during the championship game.

Advanced Usage:

In more advanced contexts, "laid low" can be used to describe situations where someone or something is significantly weakened or defeated, not just physically but also in terms of morale or effectiveness.

Word Variants:

• Laid (verb): The past tense of "lay," meaning to place something down.
• Low (adjective/adverb): Means at a small distance from the ground or at a low level.

Different Meanings:

While "laid low" primarily refers to being incapacitated due to illness or injury, it can also metaphorically refer to being defeated or overwhelmed by challenges in life.

Synonyms:

• Knocked out
• Disabled
• Incapacitated
• Out of action

Idioms:

• "Knocked down" - This can mean being physically struck down or metaphorically defeated.
• "Under the weather" - This idiom means feeling unwell, similar to being laid low.

Phrasal Verbs:

There aren't direct phrasal verbs that match "laid low," but you might consider phrases like: - "Brought down" - This can refer to being defeated or overcome by something.

Summary:

"Laid low" describes a state where someone cannot participate in their normal activities due to illness or injury.

Academic

Adjective

1. put out of action (by illness)

Synonyms

• laid low
• stricken