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lowly
level for ten years. | families on low incomes | a child of low intelligence | a low-budget film 5 [F(on)] near or at the end of a supply or measure: The coal's getting low/ We're getting low on coal; we must order some more. 6 [(in)] having only a small amount of a particular substance, quality etc: This milk is low in fat. | low-tar cigarettes | low-alcohol wine 7 not loud; soft: She heard a low moaning noise. | Keep your voices low – I don't want her to hear us. 8 (of a musical note) deep: This song is too low for a tenor. 9 unhappy; DEPRESSED: She's still feeling a bit low about failing that exam. | in rather low spirits 10 regarding something as of little worth; unfavourable: I have a low opinion of that book. 11 for a slow speed: Use a low gear when driving slowly. 12 not fair, generous, or honest; DISHONOURABLE: That was a low trick. → opposite HIGH (for 1,2,3,4,6,8,10,11); see also lay someone low (LAY²), lie low (LIE¹) and HIGH¹ (USAGE) —ness n [U]
low² adv 1 in or to a low position, degree, manner, or level: He was bent low over a book. | We turned the heating down low. | low-paid workers | The price of coffee sank lower today due to rumours of a big harvest. 2 near the ground, floor, base etc; not high: The sun sank low in the sky. | Watch out for low-flying aircraft. 3 (in music) in or with deep notes → opposite HIGH 4 quietly; softly → see also LOWLY, high and low (HIGH²)
low³ n 1 [C] a low point, price, degree, or level: Profits have reached an all-time low this month. → opposite HIGH 2 [C] an area of low pressure in the air → opposite HIGH 3 [U] the GEAR that is used to make a vehicle move slowly
low⁴ v [I] especially lit to make the sound that a cow makes; MOO
low-born /ˌləʊˈbɔːn◂ Il-ɔːrn◂/ adj lit born to parents of low social class
low-brow /ˈləʊbraʊ/ n usually derog a person who has no interest in literature, the ARTS etc → compare HIGHBROW, MIDDLEBROW —lowbrow adj
low-cal, lo-cal /ˈləʊ kæl/ adj AmE infml having few CALORIES: a low-cal ice cream
Low 'Church n [U] the part of the Church of England that believes in the importance of faith and studying the BIBLE rather than in religious ceremonies → compare HIGH CHURCH
low 'comedy n [C;U] a (type of) funny play similar to FARCE
'Low Countries, the another name for the NETHERLANDS, a country in northwestern Europe, bordered by Belgium, Germany and the NORTH SEA. It is called the Low Countries because they are mostly very flat, and some parts of them are below SEA LEVEL, and are RECLAIMED from the sea.
low-'cut adj (of a dress or article of clothing worn on the upper half of the body, usually by a female) cut in a way that shows the wearer's neck and top of the chest, or CLEAVAGE: a low-cut evening dress → compare LOW-NECKED
'low-down adj [A] infml dishonest and dishonourable; CONTEMPTIBLE: a dirty low-down trick
low-down /ˈləʊdan/ n [the (on)] slang the true and often secret information about a person, event etc: He says he has the lowdown on what happened at the negotiations.
Low-ell, Rob-ert /ˈləʊəl, ˈrbətˈlra:bərt/ (1917–77) a US poet and writer of plays, who was also known for his concern about social questions and his opposition to the VIETNAM WAR. Two of his most famous poems are The Quaker Graveyard in Nantucket and Colloquy in Black Rock.
'low-end adj [usually A] especially AmE relating to products or services that are less expensive and of lower quality than other products of the same type: low-end desktop computers → opposite HIGH-END
lower¹ /ˈləʊə/ adj [A] in or being the bottom part: He was wounded in the lower leg. (=the bottom part of the leg) | on the lower deck of the ship → opposite UPPER
lower² v 1 [I;T] to make or become smaller in amount, degree, strength etc: They've lowered the price from £15 to £10. | Please lower your voice. 2 [T] to move or let down in height: They lowered the coffin into the grave. | Flags were lowered to half-mast. 3 [T usually in negatives] to bring (someone, especially oneself) down in worth or opinion by behaving in an immoral or dishonourable way: I wouldn't lower myself to take part in such a dishonest business.
lower³, lour /ˈlaʊə◂/ v [I] 1 (of the sky or weather) to be
dark and threatening: a lowering sky before the storm 2 [(at, on, upon)] to look in a dissatisfied bad-tempered manner; FROWN
lower 'case n [U] letters written or printed in the usual small form (such as a, b, c) rather than in the large (CAPITAL or UPPER CASE) form (such as A, B, C) → compare CAPITAL —lower case adj
lower 'class also lower classes pl. — n [the+sing./pl. v] often derog a social class of the lowest rank; WORKING CLASS: a member of the lower class/lower classes → compare MIDDLE CLASS, UPPER CLASS; see WORKING CLASS (USAGE) —lower-class adj: a lower-class background
Lower 'East Side, the also the East Side the south-eastern part of Manhattan in New York City, which is one of the poorer parts of the city. It has a mainly WORKING-CLASS population, which includes many Hispanics and other IMMIGRANTS.
Lower 'House, the also the Lower 'Chamber one of the parts of a BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE (=a system of government in which there are two law-making groups). The Lower House usually has more power than the UPPER HOUSE or UPPER CHAMBER and in most systems it has more members, who are elected by the public. In the UK, the HOUSE OF COMMONS is the Lower House, and in the US the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES is the Lower House.
lower mid·dle-'class [the] (in Britain) the part of society which sees itself and is seen by others as being between WORKING CLASS and MIDDLE CLASS. Typically, lower middle-class people work in offices and shops. They may enjoy some of the activities which middle-class people enjoy, but have not usually had the good education which is typical of middle-class people. —lower middle-class adj: My family are lower middle-class.
low-er-most /ˈləʊəməʊst||ˈləʊər-/ adj fml lowest
'lower orders [the+P] derog people from the lower ranks of a society. This word is used by people who consider themselves to be more important than people of lower social rank: unseemly outbursts of discontent among the lower orders
lower 'sixth n [C+sing./pl.v] the first year of the SIXTH FORM in British schools → compare UPPER SIXTH
lowest common de'nominator n [U] 1 math the smallest number that can be the DENOMINATOR in a group of FRACTIONS 2 the largest group of people who will watch or listen to something, especially television, even if it is not very good: The President's speech is designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator and doesn't actually say very much of importance. | Television shows often seem aimed at the lowest common denominator.
lowest common 'multiple also least common multiple abbrev. LCM the smallest number that two other numbers divide into exactly: 12 is the lowest common multiple of 4 and 6
low-'fat adj (of food, cookery) containing or using only a small amount of fat: low-fat skimmed milk | a low-fat way of cooking → see Cultural Note at HEALTHY
low-'key adj controlled in style or quality; not loud, bright, or forceful: The Prime Minister made a low-key speech, hoping to calm the situation.
low·land /ˈləʊlənd/ also lowlands pl. — adj, n [A;U] (of) an area of land that is lower than the land surrounding it: These cattle thrive best in lowland areas.
low·land·er /ˈləʊləndə◂/ n a person who lives in a lowland area
Low-lands, the /ˈləʊləndz/ the central part of Scotland which is lower than the land surrounding it → see also HIGHLANDS
'low life, lowlife /ˈləʊlaɪf/ n [U] 1 the life and behaviour of people of low social class, especially those who live in big cities and take part in criminal activities: a well-known novel about low life in Chicago during the 1930s 2 AmE slang a person who takes part in criminal activities or who is bad: John's turned out to be a real lowlife.
low·ly¹ /ˈləʊli/ adv [+v-ed] in a low level or degree: lowly paid workers → see also LOW²