low

I UK [ləʊ] / US [loʊ] adjective
Word forms "low":
adjective low comparative lower superlative lowest
***

1) small in height, or smaller than the usual height

a low wall/bridge/building

a) not far above the ground

The plane was very low.

low clouds

b) used about the level of water in a river or the sea

The tide is low.

2) small in amount or level

people on low incomes

The bigger shops are able to keep their prices low.

low unemployment

Cook it for five minutes on a low heat.

in the low 20s/30s etc (= between 20 and 25):

Temperatures are usually around the low 30s at this time of year.

a) used about foods that contain a smaller amount of a substance than usual

yoghurt with a low fat content

low in:

Vegetables are low in fat and calories and high in nutrition.

b) used about supplies of things when a lot has been used

Stocks were so low that many of the shelves in the shop were empty.

run/get low (on something):

A message appears on the screen when you're running low on disk space.

c) used about equipment that is not producing much energy, or that has not got much energy left

There was music on and the lights were low.

run/get low:

Most phones tell you when the battery is running low.

d) used about the quality or standard of something

The standard of housing in some areas is very low.

e) used about the importance or status of something

Doing the garden is fairly low on my list of priorities.

low-priority (= much less important than other things):

Food will not be sent to low-priority areas until next week.

3) someone who is low feels unhappy and does not have much hope or confidence

low spirits:

It was unlike her to be in such low spirits.

a) used about someone who does not have much energy

It's the kind of illness that leaves you feeling low for a few days.

b) used about someone's negative attitude

Sandra's problem is she has really low expectations.

Morale is really low in the office.

He has a very low opinion of his colleagues (= thinks they are not very good).

4)

a) a low voice or sound is quiet and difficult to hear

b) used for describing a deep voice or a sound that has a long wavelength

She finds it difficult to reach the low notes.

5) unfair, or dishonest

That was a low trick.

6) a piece of clothing that is low shows your neck and a lot of your chest

Derived word:
lowness
noun uncountable
II UK [ləʊ] / US [loʊ] adverb
Word forms "low":
comparative lower superlative lowest
**

1) in or to a low position

The plane seemed to be flying very low.

2)

a) quietly

I asked them to turn the volume down low.

b) in a deep voice, or with a deep sound

The bass guitar tends to play lower than the rest of the band.

She can sing high or low.

•

stoop/sink so low — to do something very unfair or dishonest

Just how low is the government prepared to stoop in order to win votes in next month's election?

See:

high II, lay I, lie I

III UK [ləʊ] / US [loʊ] noun [countable]
Word forms "low":
singular low plural lows

1)

a) business the lowest level, value, or price

fall/plunge to a new low:

The euro fell to a new low against the dollar yesterday.

a record/all-time low (= worse than ever before):

Share prices hit an all-time low.

b) used about temperatures

Overnight lows will be around 5 degrees Celsius.

2) a bad time in your life

highs and lows (= good times and bad times):

He's experienced all the highs and lows of an actor's life.

an all-time low (= the worst time):

The game was one of the all-time lows in the club's history.

3) an area of low air pressure

•

- the lowest of the low

IV UK [ləʊ] / US [loʊ] verb [intransitive]
Word forms "low":
present tense I/you/we/they low he/she/it lows present participle lowing past tense lowed past participle lowed literary

when cows low, they make their typical deep long sound