1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To be confined to bed or forced to rest because of a particular illness or injury.
"He was laid up with a bad back for most of January and couldn't go to work."
inseparable
lay up with
B2 neutral inseparable transitive
To be confined to bed or forced to rest because of a specific illness or injury.
In plain English
Have to stay in bed because a specific sickness or injury is keeping you there.
What does "lay up with" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
Confined to a lying-down position because of something (an illness/injury).
Actually means
Have to stay in bed because a specific sickness or injury is keeping you there.
Usage tip
Almost always used in the passive: 'be laid up with'. The illness or injury follows 'with'. Common in everyday conversation about health and recovery. Used in both British and American English.
Words that pair with "lay up with"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
flu cold back injury broken leg pneumonia virus
How to conjugate "lay up with"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
lay up with
I/you/we/they
3rd person
lays up with
he/she/it
Past simple
laid up with
yesterday
Past participle
laid up with
have + pp
-ing form
laying up with
continuous
Hear "lay up with" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "lay up with" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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