adjective
1.
situated, placed, or occurring not far above the ground, floor, or base
a low shelf
2.
of small extent upward; not high or tall
A low wall surrounds the property
3.
not far above the horizon, as a planet
The moon was low in the sky
4.
lying or being below the general level
low ground
5.
designating or pertaining to regions near sea level, esp. near the sea
low countries
6.
bending or passing far downward; deep
a low bow
7.(of a garment)
low-necked; décolleté
The dress she wore was fashionably low
8.
rising but slightly from a surface
a low relief on a frieze
9.
of less than average or normal height or depth, as a liquid or stream
The river is low this time of year
10.
near the first of a series
a low number
11.
ranked near the beginning or bottom on some scale of measurement
a low income bracket
12.
indicating the bottom or the point farthest down
the low point in his creative life
13.
lacking in strength, energy, or vigor; feeble; weak
to feel low and listless
14.
providing little nourishment or strength, as a diet
15.
of small number, amount, degree, force, intensity, etc
low visibility
a generator with a low output
16.
indicated or represented by a low number
A low latitude is one relatively near the equator
17.
soft: subdued; not loud
a low murmur
18.Music
produced by relatively slow vibrations, as sounds; grave in pitch
19.
assigning or attributing little worth, value, excellence, or the like
a low estimate of a new book
20.
containing a relatively small amount
a diet low in starches
21.
nearing depletion; not adequately supplied
low on funds
Our stock of towels is low
22.
depressed or dejected
low spirits
23.
far down in the scale of rank or estimation; humble
of low birth
24.
of inferior quality or character
a low grade of fabric
a low type of intellect
25.
lacking in dignity or elevation, as of thought or expression
26.
mean, base, or disreputable
low tricks
low companions
27.
coarse or vulgar
entertainment of a low sort
28.Boxing
struck or delivered below a contestant's belt
29.Biology
having a relatively simple structure; not complex in organization
30. Phonetics (of a vowel)
articulated with a relatively large opening above the tongue, as the vowels of hat, hut, hot, ought, etc
Compare high (sense 23)
31.Automobiles
of, pertaining to, or operating at the gear transmission ratio at which the drive shaft moves at the lowest speed with relation to the speed of the engine crankshaft, used esp. for temporarily overcoming the weight or inertia of the vehicle; first
low gear
32. Baseball (of a pitched ball)
passing the plate at a level below that of the batter's knees
a low curve
33.Cards
having less value than other cards
a low card
34. Metallurgy (usually used in combination)
having a relatively small amount of a specified constituent
low-carbon steel
35.chiefly Brit
holding to Low Church principles and practices
adverb
36.
in or to a low position, point, degree, etc
The raiders crouched low in the bushes
37.
near the ground, floor, or base; not aloft
The plane flew low
38.
in or to a humble or abject state
Some live low while others live high
She swore she would bring him low
39.
in or to a condition of depletion, prostration, or death
The gas in the tank is running low
40.
at comparatively small cost; cheaply
to buy something low and sell it high
41.
at or to a low pitch, volume, intensity, etc
to turn the radio low
lights turned down low
42.
in a low tone; softly; quietly
to speak low
43.archaic
far down in time; late
44. See lay low
45. See lie low
noun
46.
something that is low, as ground or prices
numerous marshy lows in the forest
the recent low in the stock market
47.Automobiles
low gear; first gear
48.Meteorology
an atmospheric low-pressure system; cyclone
Compare high (sense 41)
49.Cards
a.
the lowest trump card
b.
a card of small value, or of lower value than other cards
c.
the lowest score in a game
d.
a player having such a score
50.
a point of deepest decline, vulgarity, etc
a new low in tastelessness
51.slang
a period of intense depression or discomfort, when the effects of a drug have subsided
SYNONYMS 13. exhausted, sinking, expiring, dying. 17. quiet. 18. deep. 22. dispirited, unhappy, sad. 23. lowly, meek, obscure. 26. ignoble, degraded, servile. 27. rude, crude. See mean2.ANTONYMS 1–3. high.
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1125–75; ME lowe, lohe (adj. and n.), earlier lāh ‹ ON lāgr (adj.); c. OFris lēge, lēch, D laag, OHG laege; akin to lie2]
