Supine
[SOO-pine]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin
1.
(Of a person) Lying face upward.
2.
Failing to act or protest as a result of moral weakness or indolence.
Examples of Supine in a sentence
"My perfect Sunday includes French toast and a supine position on the couch."
"The mayor was criticized for remaining supine through the school board protests."
About Supine
The word "supine" comes from the Latin word "supinus," meaning "bent backwards." As an adjective describing position, it applies to a person lying with their face up, to a hand with the palm upward, or any object with the front part upward.
Did you Know?
You might have heard the phrase "I'm not going to take this lying down" to refer to standing up to some kind of injustice. If you don't take action, then you can be accused of being supine, which describes failing to act, or figuratively lying down.
