In Appalachian and Southern speech, "laid up" means confined, stuck, or put out of commission - usually from sickness, injury, or even a machine breaking down. It’s a plain, everyday way of saying something (or someone) is down for the count.
"Can’t help you with hay today - I’m laid up with this bum knee."
Hillbilly Dude Says...
"Can’t help you with hay today - I’m laid up with this bum knee."
Pronunciation
[LAYD up]
Meaning & Usage
- Confined by sickness or injury (verb phrase)
At the store
Mae:
Where’s your brother been?
Earl:
He’s laid up with pneumonia.
- Broken or out of commission (verb phrase, figurative)
On the farm
Mae:
Why ain’t you plowin’?
Earl:
Tractor’s laid up again.
variations: down sick, out of commission, stuck in bed, broke down, he’s laid up with the flu, tractor’s laid up in the shed
★ "Laid up" is plain country talk. It works for people and things alike - Granny can be laid up in bed, or the pickup can be laid up in the shop. ★
Origin and Etymology
Comes from the old sense of "lay up" meaning to rest, store, or set aside. It took root in American English, with Southern and Appalachian folks keeping it alive in everyday talk.
Usage Notes
Widely understood across English, but outside the South it can feel old-fashioned. In Southern and Appalachian speech, it’s still a common, natural phrase for sickness or breakdowns.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "laid up." Quick and clipped in Southern speech, often stretched a little: "lay’d up."
Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...
"Can’t help you with hay today - I’m laid up with this bum knee."