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supine Definition

su·pine (so̵̅o̅ pīn′; also, and for n. always, so̵̅o̅′pīn′)

adjective

  1. lying on the back, face upward
  2. with the palm upward or away from the body: said of the hand
  3. Old Poet. leaning or sloping backward
  4. mentally or morally inactive; sluggish; listless; passive

Etymology: L supinus, prob. akin to sub-: see sub-

noun

  1. a Latin verbal noun formed from the stem of the past participle and having only an accusative and an ablative form
  2. an infinitive in English preceded by to

supine Related Forms
su′·pine′ly adverb su′·pine′·ness noun
supine Synonyms

supine

modif.

  1. Lying on one's back

    recumbent, prostrate, prone, flat, horizontal, lying, reclining; see also lying 4.

  2. Indolent

    listless, languid, passive; see indifferent, listless 1.

supine implies a position in which one lies on one's back, and may suggest listlessness or passivity lying supine on the grass, gazing lazily at the clouds; prone, in strict use, implies a position in which the front part of the body lies upon or faces the ground he fell prone upon the ground and drank from the brook; prostrate implies the position of one thrown or lying flat in a prone or supine position, as in great humility or complete submission, or because laid low the victim lay prostrate at his attacker's feet; recumbent suggests a lying down or back in any position one might assume for rest or sleep she was recumbent on the chaise longue

supine Usage Examples

Preposition: on

  • floor: By Richmond I raised my knees Supine on the floor of a narrow canoe.

Converse of object

  • lie: During treatment, patients lay supine on the treatment couch for around 3 hrs.
  • remain: Until receiving help, the victim remained supine on the floor looking at the ceiling.

Modifying Another Word

  • so: Why, faced with such supposed cruelty, were the wives all so supine?
  • rather: In Burnley, it gains from what appears to be a rather supine council.
  • normally: Even the normally supine New Labor MPs in Leeds have complained to the Government.
  • usually: Even a usually supine Washington press has commented on how the two are locked together into a spiral of decline.

Modifies a noun

  • position: Systems are available to support users lying on their side, or in a prone or supine position.
  • pressure: The corresponding additional reduction in supine diastolic blood pressure was 7 mmHg.
  • nature: The biggest threat to British democracy is actually not the EU, but the supine nature of MPs.
  • form: A dwarf, dressed in a long white robe and muttering divine and incredible incantations, loomed over his supine form.
  • attitude: He expresses surprise at the supine attitude of the Labor Party and the Trade Unions toward the motor slaughter.
  • response: We must remember Britainâs supine response to President Amin of Uganda, on their knees asking him to be reasonable.

Used with adjective complement

  • lie: The patient is kept in the sitting position for 5 minutes, then lies supine.
  • place: Patient Setup The patient is placed supine on the operating table.

Preposition: in

  • face: In contrast to other European governments, particularly the French, Labor has been supine in the face of aggressive American policy.