How do you use "Laid up" in a sentence?

She's been laid up with the flu all week. I was laid up for a month after the operation. A bad back has got him laid up.

Laid up

Q: What does "Laid up" mean?

Confined to bed by illness or injury. 'Laid up' means unable to move around due to illness or injury—stuck in bed or at home. 'Laid up with flu' or 'laid up with a bad back.' Implies being temporarily incapacitated but recoverable.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Casual

Practice this with flashcards, quizzes & audio on WordLoci →

Meaning: Confined to bed by illness or injury.

因病或伤卧床不起。

Postrado en cama por enfermedad o lesión.

病気やケガで寝たきりの状態。

병이나 부상으로 누워 있는.

'Laid up' means unable to move around due to illness or injury—stuck in bed or at home. 'Laid up with flu' or 'laid up with a bad back.' Implies being temporarily incapacitated but recoverable.

「laid up」意思是因为生病或受伤无法活动——只能躺在床上或待在家里。「Laid up with flu」或「laid up with a bad back」。暗示暂时丧失行动能力但可以恢复。

«Laid up» significa no poder moverse por enfermedad o lesión, estar atrapado en la cama o en casa. «Laid up with flu» o «laid up with a bad back». Implica estar temporalmente incapacitado pero con posibilidad de recuperación.

「laid up」は病気やケガで動けない状態——ベッドか家に閉じ込められている。「Laid up with flu」や「laid up with a bad back」のように使う。一時的に動けないが回復可能であることを示唆する。

너무 아파서 일상 활동을 못 하고 쉴 수밖에 없는 상태를 말한다. 원래 항해 용어로, laid up된 배는 항해할 수 없는 배를 뜻했다.

Examples

She's been laid up with the flu all week.
她因为流感在床上躺了一整周
Ha estado en cama toda la semana con gripe
「一週間ずっとインフルエンザで寝込んでいる」
그는 일주일째 독감으로 누워 있어.
I was laid up for a month after the operation.
手术后我卧床了一个月
Estuve en cama un mes después de la operación
「手術の後1ヶ月寝たきりだった」
부상 때문에 그녀는 한 달 동안 누워 있었다.
A bad back has got him laid up.
腰伤让他动弹不得
Está en cama por un dolor de espalda
「ぎっくり腰で動けなくなっている」
누워 있어서 일을 할 수 없었다.

Pronunciation

/leɪd ʌp/

Usage Guide

Context: illness, injury, recovery

Tone: descriptive, sympathetic

✓ Do Say

Laid up
卧床不起
en cama
寝込んでいる
침대에 누워 있어.
Laid up with
因……卧床
en cama por
〜で寝込んでいる
일주일 내내 누워 있었어.
Been laid up
一直卧床
lleva en cama
寝込んでいた
그녀는 다리가 부러져서 누워 있어.

Common Mistakes

Different from 'laid off' (employment)

Origin & History

From ships being 'laid up' in dock for repairs—out of service until fixed. Applied to people stuck at home recovering from illness or injury.

Etymology: Nautical: ships laid up for repair

First recorded: 19th century

Cultural Context

Era: 19th century onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Common expression

Regional notes: Universal English.

Variations

Laid upLaid up with