【be laid low】 —

1. (of a disease or injury) cause a person to take to bed:

• I’ve been laid low with this cough most of the winter.

2. be defeated or forced into a humble position:

• Kidd was laid low by an incredible run of sheer bad luck.

Note:

a) The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase be low—feel weak or depressed; be in low spirits:

• I am low today. What is it that makes one day good and another bad?

b) The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase be laid up—

1. = 【be laid low】 1:

• The test pilot, Robert Turner, was laid up with back injuries for months.

2. (of a ship) be put in dock, as for repairs:

• In 1910 she stranded in Singapore and was laid up with hull damage.

【lie low】 —keep a low profile; try to be inconspicuous:

• Sarah decided to 【lie low】 until the train got underway again.