flat on back
Sprawled facing upward
Flat on back describes lying supine—face up, back against a surface.
The phrase often suggests helplessness or incapacity: The flu knocked me flat on my back for a week.
Someone flat on their back may be resting, injured, ill, or defeated.
In wrestling or fighting, ending up flat on your back means you've been taken down.
- supineFlat, face upward
- face upVisible side showing
- lyingStating known falsehoods
- lying downIn horizontal position
- horizontalParallel to the horizon
sprawled · stretched · recumbent · floored · knocked · knocked out · down for the count · fallen · staring · ceiling · exhausted · dead tired · defeated · resting · sleeping · stargazing · grass · mattress
flat on backstanding
Position, physical or social
upright · standing up · erect · vertical · sitting
flat on backup and about
Mobile after rest
up and running · active · mobile · fighting fit · ambulatory
flat, back, flats, flatly, flatten, flattened, flattening, flatness, flatter