to lie low
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To conceal oneself or one's intentions. All this while Brer Rabbit lay low.— JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS: Uncle Remus.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to lie low” mean?
To conceal oneself or one's intentions. All this while Brer Rabbit lay low.— JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS: Uncle Remus.
Is “to lie low” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.