take (something) lying down
To accept or endure something without struggle, resistance, or opposition. (Often used in negative constructions.) You'll never be respected around here if you keep taking these taunts lying down. I will not take this lying down! You can expect to hear from my attorney.
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.
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.
take lying down
Informal To submit to harsh treatment with no resistance: refused to take the snub lying down.