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Lie low

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Lie low'?

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Keep out of sight; bide one’s time.

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.

The history of “Lie low” in printed materials

Trend of lie low in printed material over time

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
Lie low

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