low Definition

low¹
adj lower, lowest

1. Said of a building, hill, etc: measuring comparatively little from top to bottom.
2. Close to the ground, sea-level, the horizon, etc.

Example: low cloud
Thesaurus: flat, squat, level, low-lying, prostrate, crouched, knee-high; Antonym: raised.
3. Said of a temperature, volume of water, score, etc: measuring comparatively less than is usual or average.

Example: The river is low
4. Having little value; not costing very much.
5. Said of numbers: small.
6. Not near the top.

Example: Shopping was low on her list of priorities
7. Coarse, rude, vulgar, etc.

Thesaurus: vulgar, base, mean, cheap, coarse, contemptible, crude, degraded, scurvy; Antonym: noble, lofty.
8. Being of humble rank or position.
9. Not very advanced; unsophisticated.

Example: Worms are a low form of animal life
10. Said of the neckline of a garment: leaving the neck and upper part of the chest bare.
11a. Said of a sound, note, voice, etc: quiet; soft;

Example: The fridge gives out a low hum
Thesaurus: muffled, soft, hushed, quiet; Antonym: loud, blaring.
11b. Said of a sound, note, voice, etc: produced by slow vibrations and having a deep pitch.
12a. Weak; lacking in energy or vitality;

Example: feeling low after the operation
12b. Depressed; dispirited.

Example: feeling low after losing his job
Thesaurus: dejected, unhappy, dispirited, moody, downcast, down, blue; Antonym: cheerful, upbeat.
13. Unfavourable.

Example: a low opinion
14. Underhanded; unprincipled

Example: How low can you get?
15. Giving a relatively slow engine speed.

Example: a low gear
16. Subdued.

Example: low lighting
17. Not prominent or conspicuous.

Example: keeping a low profile
18. Said of latitudes: near the equator.
19. phonetics.
Said of a vowel: produced with the tongue or part of the tongue comparatively depressed and away from the palate. Also called open.

adverb

1. In or to a low position, state or manner.

Example: aimed low and fired
Example: brought low by his gambling debts
2. In a small quantity or to a small degree.
3a. Said of a sound, etc: quietly;
3b. Said of a sound, etc: with or in a deep pitch.
4a. Not measuring much in a specified respect;

Example: low-voltage
4b. Not far off the ground;

Example: low-slung
4c. Deeply;

Example: low-cut
4d. Lowly.

Example: low-born

noun

1. A depth, position, level, etc which is low or lowest.

Example: The pound has reached an all-time low
2. meteorol.
A cyclone 1.

Derivative: lowness
noun

Idiom: lay low

See under lay.

Idiom: lie low

See under lie.

Idiom: lowest of the low

The most contemptible.

Idiom: low in something

Containing less than the average amount, etc of it.
Example: low in fat

Idiom: low on something

sometimes euphemistic
Not having much of it.
Example: We're low on coffee
Example: She's a bit low on the brains front

Not having much of it left.
Example: running low on petrol

Etymology: 12c: from Norse lagr.

---

low²
verb

intr
lowed, lowing
1. Said of cattle: to make a gentle mooing sound.

noun

1. The gentle mooing sound made by cattle.

Derivative: lowing
noun

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon hlowan.