Meaning

Lie low

The meaning of the phrase

Other phrases by: Shakespeare Keep out of sight; bide one's time.

Woe is me
Woe is me

What’s the origin of the phrase ‘Lie low’?

There are many citations of variants of this little phrase dating back to the 13th century.

Shakespeare used it in its present form in Much Ado About Nothing, 1599:

ANTONIO:
If he could right himself with quarreling,
Some of us would lie low.

More recently the phrase has been adapted as the name of inflatable mattresses.

These are marketed in the UK as Li-Los.

Historical trend

“Lie low” in printed material over time

Source: Google Books Ngrams (1800–2020).

180018201840186018801900192019401960198020002020
  • Lie low

Cited as a source

Referenced by 1 trusted source for this phrase

Backlink data verified June 2026 via Ahrefs (live index). These sources cite Phrase Finder as a reference for the meaning and origin of this expression.