laying low
Keeping out of sight
Laying low means staying out of sight or avoiding attention, usually to escape notice or trouble: After the scandal broke, he's been laying low.
The phrase also appears as "lying low"—technically correct since "lie" doesn't take an object—but "laying low" dominates casual speech.
A separate sense means to knock down or defeat: The flu laid him low for a week.
- hidingStaying out of sight
- concealmentAct of hiding something
- stealthSecret, undetected movement
- blending inAvoiding notice by conforming
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
ducking · disappearing · incognito · hide · secrecy · go to ground · invisibility · retreating · under the radar · camouflage · flying under the radar · withdrawing · biding time · lie in wait · caution · self-preservation · evading · sidestepping
- hiding outhideout, safe house, lair, refuge, bolt-hole
- evasionevasion, avoiding, avoids, evade, dodging
- inactioninaction, passivity, doing nothing, stillness, immobility
- knocking downtoppling, demolishing, razing, felling, bulldozing
- staying hiddenhiding, disappearing
- Sitting Outbenched, sidelined, on the bench, on the sidelines, sitting idle
laying lowmaking a scene
Behaving dramatically in public
standing out · showing off · grandstanding · making waves · hogging the spotlight
laying lowhustling
Hurrying or swindling
hitting the ground running · making the rounds · ramping up · burning the candle at both ends · running around