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take lying down

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take something lying down

Fig. to endure something unpleasant without fighting back. He insulted me publicly. You don't expect me to take that lying down, do you? I'm not the kind of person who'll take something like that lying down.

See also: down, lying, take

not take something lying down

to refuse to be treated badly by someone He can't just order you about like that. Surely you're not going to take that lying down!

See also: down, lying, take

take lying down

Submit to an insult, rebuke, or other harsh treatment without resisting, as in He won't take that snub lying down. This idiom uses lying down in the sense of "passively." [Late 1800s] Also see take it, def. 2.

See also: down, lying, take

take lying down

Informal

To submit to harsh treatment with no resistance: refused to take the snub lying down.

See also: down, lying, take