To lie low means to hide or avoid being seen so you will not be caught or found by someone; to keep quiet, avoid the spotlight or avoid publicity; to keep one’s plans hidden; to strategically wait until the appropriate time to act.
The idiom often has the sense of staying out of sight or out of the public eye until the occasion for doing so has passed; i.e. it is used to describe a temporary action.
The grammatically incorrect ‘lay low’ is sometimes used, perhaps because of this idiom being confused with ‘lay someone low,’ and can be considered an acceptable use (idioms often ignore grammar rules).
Origin of ‘Lie Low’
The literal meaning of this idiom alludes to a hunter laying low in the brush to wait for game or a soldier laying low in concealment, waiting for the enemy. It has been used this way since at least the 1200s.
The present figurative meaning has been used since at least the late 1800s, although Shakespeare used another version in Much Ado About Nothing, perhaps to mean humbled: “If he could right himself with quarreling, Some of us would lie low.”
Lie Low vs. Lay Low: Which is Correct?
If you are confused about whether to say “lie low” or “lay low,” you are not alone. It is one of the most common grammatical debates in the English language (frequently resulting in the accidental, squished typo “lielow” or “laylow,” neither of which are real words).
Here is the strict grammatical rule versus the real-world reality:
- The Grammatically Correct Version: “Lie Low.” Because “lie” is an intransitive verb (meaning it does not take a direct object), it is the correct word to use when you are performing the action on yourself. You are the one hiding; therefore, you lie low.
- The Common, Accepted Alternative: “Lay Low.” Strictly speaking, “lay” is a transitive verb that requires a direct object (e.g., you can lay your keys on the table, or a disease can lay someone low). However, idioms are famous for ignoring strict grammar rules. In modern everyday speech, especially in American English, “lay low” has been used so frequently that it is now widely accepted as a synonymous, informal alternative.
The Rule of Thumb: If you’re writing a formal paper, use lie low. If you are speaking casually to a friend, lay low is perfectly acceptable slang but lie low is the more traditional phrase.
“Lie Low” vs. “Lay Someone Low” (Illness & Defeat)
Another major reason English learners get confused by lay low is the separate idiom to lay someone low (or be laid low). While they sound almost identical, their grammatical roles and meanings are completely different:
- Lie Low (Hiding / Strategic Inactivity): An intransitive action you perform on yourself to avoid attention, danger, or trouble.
Example: “The suspect decided to lie low until the police investigation cooled down.” - Lay Someone Low (Incapacitated by Illness or Defeat): A transitive idiom where an external force, such as a disease, fever, injury, or misfortune, strikes someone down, physically overcomes them, or confines them to bed.
Example: “A severe case of the flu laid him low for nearly two weeks.”
Example (Passive Voice): “I was laid low by an autoimmune disorder for two years.”
Quick Summary: If you are choosing to stay quiet and stay out of sight, you are lying low. If an illness has knocked you flat on your back in bed, it has laid you low.
Television and Movie Citations
Because this idiom is heavily associated with hiding from authority or waiting for danger to pass, it is a huge trope in crime thrillers, spy movies, and heist films.
- The Criminal Evasion: In Christopher Nolan’s Inception (2010), the phrase is used literally to describe scattering and hiding after a botched operation: “By now, they know we failed. It’s time we disappear.” / “Where you gonna go? Buenos Aires. I can lie low there, maybe sniff out a job when things quiet down.”
- The Biding of Time: In the crime drama Carlito’s Way (1993), the idiom is used as advice for staying off the criminal underworld’s radar to avoid drawing unwanted attention: “Two, maybe three months. Just gotta mark time now… lie low, keep outta trouble and off people’s minds.”
- The Strategic Retreat: In the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), a wealthy villain uses the phrase to describe temporarily pausing his operations to protect his massive investments: “I shall lie low too. I won’t jeopardize a project in which I’ve invested half my fortune, when it’s ready to yield billions.”
- The Panicked Hiding: In the animated comedy The Road to El Dorado (2000), two con artists use the phrase when they realize they need to avoid drawing attention to their true identities in a new environment: “We just have to lie low.” / “But, Tulio, this place is amazing! I mean, I wonder what’s…” / “No! Don’t even move!”
Similar and Related Idioms
- Hide Out: to go into hiding for an extended period to evade whoever is looking for you.
- Run Away: To secretly leave a place, such as one’s home, not intending to return; to flee or escape.
- At Large: To be free; not in custody, imprisoned, or otherwise confined.
- Keep a Low Profile: To deliberately avoid attracting attention, publicity, or notice to oneself, often by behaving discreetly or staying out of public view.
Sentence Examples
“We ran to the woods, hoping we could lie low for a while.”
“After stealing the money, he decided to lie low in an abandoned apartment until the police stopped looking for him.”
“Just lay low for a while until the media moves on to something else,” said the senator’s advisers.
“He is not going to lay low. We’ll probably be seeing even more of him. He doesn’t shy away from a fight.”