Lower - English meaning

noun

An agreement between two or more people or groups as to what each will do for the other.

Usage examples:

Bargains between political parties supporting the government

verb

Negotiate the terms and conditions of a transaction.

Usage examples:

He bargained with the local council to rent the stadium

noun

An advantageous purchase

adjective

(of prices) extremely low, or (of products) of low quality

Usage examples:

Farmers bought up the land at bargain-basement prices.

noun

A store or a part of a store, often underground, where things are sold at reduced prices

Usage examples:

The book had been a terrible flop, and you could buy it for $5 in any bargain basement., jonathan m…

noun

The lowest adult male singing voice.

Usage examples:

His bass voice rings out attractively

noun

The common european freshwater perch.

Usage examples:

They aren't as big as the caribbean jewfish or the potato bass of the indo-pacific region, though.

noun

Another term for bast.

preposition

Extending or directly underneath.

Usage examples:

A 2.5-mile tunnel beneath the alps

adverb

Extending or directly underneath something.

Usage examples:

A house built on stilts to allow air to circulate beneath

preposition

In or to a lower position than; under

Usage examples:

Jerry hid the letter beneath a pile of papers., the cool grass felt good beneath their feet.

adjective

Of a colour intermediate between green and violet, as of the sky or sea on a sunny day.

Usage examples:

The clear blue sky

noun

Blue colour or pigment.

Usage examples:

She was dressed in blue

verb

A person who has represented cambridge university (a cambridge blue ) or oxford university (an oxford blue ) at a particular sport in a match between the two universities.

Usage examples:

A flyweight boxing blue

noun

The lowest point or part of something.

Usage examples:

The bottom of the page

adjective

In the lowest position.

Usage examples:

The books on the bottom shelf

verb

Denoting a flavour (variety) of unstable quark having an electric charge of - 1/3. bottom quarks have similar properties to down quarks and strange quarks, but are distinguished from them by having a larger mass.

adjective

Lowest in place or rank.

Usage examples:

He examined the bottom-most layers of the sediment

adjective

Low in price, especially in relation to similar items or services.

Usage examples:

Local buses were reliable and cheap

adverb

At or for a low price.

Usage examples:

A house that was going cheap because of the war

adjective

Costing little money or less than is usual or expected

Usage examples:

After world war ii, the us had cheap labor, cheap energy, cheap raw materials, cheap housing, cheap…

adjective

Occurring, found, or done often; prevalent.

Usage examples:

Salt and pepper are the two most common seasonings

noun

A piece of open land for public use.

Usage examples:

We spent the morning tramping over the common looking for flowers

adjective

Found frequently in many places or among many people

Usage examples:

Money worries are a common problem for people raising children., guilt and forgiveness are themes c…

adjective

Costing less than the usual price

Usage examples:

Cut-price bids/deals/offers, cut-price cars/holidays/mortgages, a cut-price airline/operator/retail…

adjective

Extending far down from the top or surface.

Usage examples:

A deep gorge

noun

The sea.

Usage examples:

Denizens of the deep

adverb

The part of the field distant from the batsman.

adjective

Sad and depressed; dispirited.

Usage examples:

He stood in the street looking dejected

verb

Make sad or dispirited; depress.

Usage examples:

Nothing dejects a trader like the interruption of his profits

adjective

Unhappy, disappointed, or lacking hope

Usage examples:

William felt dejected because he had sprained his ankle and had to sit out the game.

adjective

(of a person) in a state of unhappiness or despondency.

Usage examples:

She felt lonely and depressed

verb

Make (someone) feel utterly dispirited or dejected.

Usage examples:

That first day at school depressed me

adjective

Feeling unhappy and without hope

Usage examples:

He’s depressed about losing his job., this is an economically depressed area.

adjective

In low spirits from loss of hope or courage.

Usage examples:

She grew more and more despondent

adjective

Unhappy and discouraged because you feel you are in a situation that is unlikely to improve

Usage examples:

He grew increasingly despondent when his paintings failed to sell.

adjective

Causing a mood of gloom or depression.

Usage examples:

The dismal weather made the late afternoon seem like evening

adjective

Dark and sad, without hope, or very bad

Usage examples:

The trip was a dismal failure.

adjective

Very bad

Usage examples:

In january, after a dismal holiday sales season, the retailer filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy prote…

adverb

Towards or in a lower place or position, especially to or on the ground or another surface.

Usage examples:

She looked down

preposition

From a higher to a lower point of (something).

Usage examples:

Up and down the stairs

adjective

Directed or moving towards a lower place or position.

Usage examples:

The down escalator

adjective

(of a person's eyes) looking downwards.

Usage examples:

Her modestly downcast eyes

noun

A shaft dug in a mine for extra ventilation.

Usage examples:

The probable explanation is, that the return air was leaking across into the downcast shaft at vari…

adjective

Looking down, usually because of being shy or sad

adjective

Discouraged; in low spirits.

Usage examples:

Fans must not be downhearted even though we lost

adjective

Unhappy, esp. because of failure or because you are disappointed

verb

Let or make (something) fall vertically.

Usage examples:

The fire was caused by someone dropping a lighted cigarette

noun

A small round or pear-shaped portion of liquid that hangs or falls or adheres to a surface.

Usage examples:

The first drops of rain splashed on the ground

verb

Let fall to the ground

adjective

(especially of sound) sweet and soothing (often used ironically).

Usage examples:

Record the dulcet tones of your family and friends

adjective

Dulcet sounds are soft and pleasant to listen to.

Usage examples:

I thought i heard your dulcet tones down here.

adjective

Very small, or smaller than usual

Usage examples:

The animals were dwarfish and the plants didn't have enough nutrients., the vegetation on the islan…

adjective

Giving good value or return in relation to the money, time, or effort expended.

Usage examples:

A small, economical car

adjective

Not using a lot of money, energy, etc.

Usage examples:

With rents so high, it wasn’t economical to continue to live in the city.

adjective

Not using a lot of fuel, money, space, etc.

Usage examples:

What's the most economical way of heating this building?, most printer software lets you fit four p…

adjective

(of a sight, smell, or sound) barely perceptible.

Usage examples:

The faint murmur of voices

verb

Lose consciousness for a short time because of a temporarily insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain.

Usage examples:

I fainted from loss of blood

noun

A sudden loss of consciousness.

Usage examples:

She hit the floor in a dead faint

adjective

Pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely.

Usage examples:

Forlorn figures at bus stops

adjective

Looking or feeling alone and sad because you need help but do not expect to get it

Usage examples:

As i left little bobby on his first day of school, he gave me such a forlorn look.

verb

Furrow one's brows in an expression indicating disapproval, displeasure, or concentration.

Usage examples:

He frowned as he reread the letter

noun

A facial expression indicating disapproval, displeasure, or concentration, characterized by a furrowing of one's brows.

Usage examples:

A frown of disapproval

verb

To bring your eyebrows together so that lines appear on your face above your eyes, in an expression of anger, disapproval, or worry

Usage examples:

For a moment he had frowned and looked annoyed., pierre’s mouth tightened with a small frown.

adjective

Having or showing a mild, kind, or tender temperament or character.

Usage examples:

A gentle, sensitive man

verb

Make or become gentle.

Usage examples:

Cobb's tone gentled a little

noun

A maggot, especially the larva of a blowfly, used as bait.

Usage examples:

He put the gentle on the hook

verb

Stare in an angry or fierce way.

Usage examples:

She glared at him, her cheeks flushing

noun

A fierce or angry stare.

Usage examples:

She gave harley a glare of contempt

verb

To look at someone angrily and without moving your eyes

Usage examples:

He kept talking during the concert, and people were glaring at him., the sun glared on the snow and…

adjective

Dark or poorly lit, especially so as to appear depressing or frightening.

Usage examples:

A gloomy corridor badly lit by oil lamps

verb

Have an angry or sullen look on one's face; scowl.

Usage examples:

She glowered at him suspiciously

noun

An angry or sullen look.

Usage examples:

The angry glower on the face of the policeman

adjective

Looking or feeling dejected; morose.

Usage examples:

The princess looked glum but later cheered up

adjective

Sad and discouraged

Usage examples:

A glum expression, marty nodded glumly.

noun

An ugly, twisted expression on a person's face, typically expressing disgust, pain, or wry amusement.

Usage examples:

She gave a grimace of pain

verb

Make a grimace.

Usage examples:

I sipped the coffee and grimaced

noun

An expression of pain or disgust in which the muscles of the face are tightened and the face looks twisted

Usage examples:

He grimaced in pain as the surgeon removed his bandages.

adjective

Feeling great sadness

Usage examples:

The townspeople were heavy-hearted after the fire that destroyed a beloved family restaurant., heav…

adjective

Having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's importance.

Usage examples:

I felt very humble when meeting her

verb

Cause (someone) to feel less important or proud.

Usage examples:

He was humbled by his many ordeals

adjective

Tending to consider yourself as having no special importance that makes you better than others; not proud

Usage examples:

He’s a humble man and he’s not comfortable talking about his own achievements., she rose from humbl…

adjective

(of a place) very quiet and still.

Usage examples:

He addressed the hushed courtroom

verb

Make (someone) be quiet or stop talking.

Usage examples:

He placed a finger before pursed lips to hush her

adjective

Unable to be heard.

Usage examples:

Inaudible pulses of high-frequency sound

adjective

Unable to be heard

Usage examples:

The noise of the machinery made her voice inaudible., music was playing almost inaudibly backstage.

adjective

Not clear or sharply defined.

Usage examples:

His speech was slurred and indistinct

adjective

Not clear

Usage examples:

An indistinct shape/sound/recollection

adjective

Not costing a great deal; cheap.

Usage examples:

A simple and inexpensive solution

adjective

Costing little money

Usage examples:

An inexpensive hotel

adjective

Not costing much money

Usage examples:

The company began with inexpensive products but eventually moved into the middle levels and high en…

adjective

Lower in rank, status, or quality.

Usage examples:

Schooling in inner-city areas was inferior to that in the rest of the country

noun

A person lower than another in rank, status, or ability.

Usage examples:

Her social and intellectual inferiors

adjective

Tall enough to reach your knees

Usage examples:

Knee-high grass/boots

idiom

Move something or somebody to a lower position

phrasal verb

Fail to support or help someone as they had hoped or expected.

Usage examples:

If i let him down now, i knew he'd never trust me again

phrasal verb

Lower something slowly.

Usage examples:

They let down a basket on a chain

adjective

Small in size, amount, or degree (often used to convey an appealing diminutiveness or express an affectionate or condescending attitude).

Usage examples:

The plants will grow into little bushes

adverb

To a small extent.

Usage examples:

He reminded me a little of my parents

determiner & pronoun

A small amount of.

Usage examples:

We got a little help from a training scheme

adjective

Cheap, or not costing as much as other things of the same type

Usage examples:

As new low-cost competitors from asia and eastern europe have entered the global marketplace, brita…

adjective

A low-pitched sound is at the bottom of the range of sounds

Usage examples:

He gave a low-pitched whistle.

adjective

Used to describe things that do not cost much

Usage examples:

Supermarkets bombard their customers with low-price offers.

adjective

Having a job at a lower level than others in an organization or group

Usage examples:

The restructuring targeted middle management as well as low-ranking employees., students will find …

adjective

Unhappy and having little hope

adjective

Low in status or importance; humble.

Usage examples:

She'd been too good for her lowly position

adverb

To a low degree; in a low manner.

Usage examples:

Lowly paid workers

adjective

Not having importance or rank

Usage examples:

In chess it is possible for the lowly pawn to become the most powerful piece on the board.

noun

A feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause.

Usage examples:

An air of melancholy surrounded him

adjective

Having a feeling of melancholy; sad and pensive.

Usage examples:

She felt a little melancholy

adjective

Feeling or expressing sadness

Usage examples:

A melancholy song, larry is in a very melancholy mood.

adjective

(of a person) wretchedly unhappy or uncomfortable.

Usage examples:

Their happiness made anne feel even more miserable

adjective

Very unhappy, or causing much unhappiness

Usage examples:

They can make your life miserable if they want to., the forecast is for miserable weather today.

adjective

Average in amount, intensity, quality, or degree.

Usage examples:

We walked at a moderate pace

noun

A person who holds moderate views, especially in politics.

Usage examples:

An unlikely alliance of radicals and moderates

verb

Make or become less extreme, intense, rigorous, or violent.

Usage examples:

I shall not moderate my criticism

adjective

Unassuming in the estimation of one's abilities or achievements.

Usage examples:

He was a very modest man, refusing to take any credit for the enterprise

adjective

Not large in size or amount, or not great in value

Usage examples:

A modest increase in salary, a modest house, although an outstanding scientist, he’s a modest man.

adjective

Not large in size or amount, or not expensive

Usage examples:

Modest amount/budget/profit we have a fairly modest budget, considering our oil wealth., modest ris…

adjective

(of a person) given to unpredictable changes of mood, especially sudden bouts of gloominess or sullenness.

Usage examples:

His moody adolescent brother

adjective

(of a person) often sad, or changing from being happy to sad, often for no clear reason

adjective

Sullen and ill-tempered.

Usage examples:

She was morose and silent when she got home

adjective

Unhappy or annoyed and unwilling to speak, smile, or be pleasant to people

Usage examples:

Michael became morose and withdrawn after he lost his job.

adjective

Feeling, expressing, or inducing sadness, regret, or grief.

Usage examples:

Her large, mournful eyes

adjective

Very sad

Usage examples:

A mournful expression, mournful music

adjective

(of a sound) not loud because of being obstructed in some way; muted.

Usage examples:

They heard the sounds of muffled voices

verb

Wrap or cover for warmth.

Usage examples:

Everyone was muffled up in coats and scarves

verb

Say something in a low or indistinct voice.

Usage examples:

Nina murmured an excuse and hurried away

noun

A low continuous background noise.

Usage examples:

The distant murmur of traffic

noun

A softly spoken or almost inaudible utterance.

Usage examples:

A quiet murmur of thanks

adjective

(of a sound or voice) quiet and soft.

Usage examples:

The muted hum of the distant traffic

verb

Deaden, muffle, or soften the sound of.

Usage examples:

Her footsteps were muted by the thick carpet

adjective

Not loud, or not enthusiastic

Usage examples:

Her reaction was muted.

adjective

Lower in position.

Usage examples:

The ballast is suspended from its nether end

adjective

In a lower position

Usage examples:

The boiler room is somewhere down in the building's nether regions.

adjective

With no special or distinctive features; normal.

Usage examples:

He sets out to depict ordinary people

noun

What is commonplace or standard.

Usage examples:

Their clichés were vested with enough emotion to elevate them above the ordinary

adjective

Not different, special, or unexpected in any way; usual

Usage examples:

His music was of the sort that ordinary americans could relate to., computers are now widely availa…

noun

A poor smallholder or agricultural labourer of low social status (chiefly in historical use or with reference to subsistence farming in poorer countries).

Usage examples:

Peasants left the farms to work in industry

noun

A member of a low social class of farm workers and owners of small farms

adjective

Not decorated or elaborate; simple or basic in character.

Usage examples:

Good plain food

adverb

Used for emphasis.

Usage examples:

Perhaps the youth was just plain stupid

noun

A large area of flat land with few trees.

Usage examples:

The coastal plain

noun

(in ancient rome) a commoner.

Usage examples:

In ancient rome clients were plebeians who were bound in a subservient relationship with their patr…

adjective

Of or belonging to the commoners of ancient rome.

Usage examples:

In the larger cities (above all rome and ostia) there were also examples of more plebeian housing, …

adjective

Belonging to a low social class

Usage examples:

He used to make fun of what he called her "plebeian origins"., he retained a plebeian taste in food…

adjective

Lacking sufficient money to live at a standard considered comfortable or normal in a society.

Usage examples:

They were too poor to afford a telephone

adjective

Relating to the proletariat.

Usage examples:

A proletarian ideology

noun

A member of the proletariat.

Usage examples:

They are true proletarians

noun

A member of the proletariat

Usage examples:

He saw the revolution as part of the international proletarian revolution., the association could n…

adjective

Making little or no noise.

Usage examples:

The car has a quiet, economical engine

noun

Absence of noise or bustle; silence; calm.

Usage examples:

The ringing of the telephone shattered the early morning quiet

verb

Make or become silent, calm, or still.

Usage examples:

There are ways of quieting kids down

verb

Make or become silent, calm, or still.

Usage examples:

There are ways of quieting kids down

adjective

Making little or no noise.

Usage examples:

The car has a quiet, economical engine

adjective

Carried out discreetly, secretly, or with moderation.

Usage examples:

We wanted a quiet wedding

verb

Make or become quiet and calm.

Usage examples:

Her mother was trying to quieten her

verb

Past simple and past participle of quieten

Usage examples:

The barking dogs quietened (down) when they recognized me.

adjective

Having sound judgement; fair and sensible.

Usage examples:

No reasonable person could have objected

adjective

Based on or using good judgment, and therefore fair and practical

Usage examples:

Johnson was a reasonable man., it seemed like a reasonable question/explanation., you can still get…

adjective

A reasonable price, value, or offer seems fair and not too expensive

Usage examples:

In the context of current robust economic growth, these shares look reasonable value., a reasonable…

adjective

(of sound) deep, clear, and continuing to sound or reverberate.

Usage examples:

A full-throated and resonant guffaw

Written abbreviation for the us state of rhode island: used in addresses

adjective

At the lowest possible level.

Usage examples:

Rock-bottom prices

noun

The lowest possible level.

Usage examples:

Morale was at rock bottom

adjective

At the lowest possible level.

Usage examples:

Rock-bottom prices

adjective

Feeling or showing sorrow; unhappy.

Usage examples:

I was sad and subdued

adjective

(of dough) heavy through having failed to rise.

abbreviation

Seasonal affective disorder.

noun

An angry or bad-tempered expression.

Usage examples:

She stamped into the room with a scowl on her face

verb

Frown in an angry or bad-tempered way.

Usage examples:

She scowled at him defiantly

verb

To use the face to express anger, esp. at someone

Usage examples:

When i asked the boss for a day off, he just scowled and told me to get back to work., she is clear…

adjective

Of little depth.

Usage examples:

Serve the noodles in a shallow bowl

noun

An area of the sea, a lake, or a river where the water is not very deep.

Usage examples:

To see for yourself, inspect the shallows at a pond or pool where the water is clear but also sport…

verb

(of the sea, a lake, or a river) become less deep over time or in a particular place.

Usage examples:

The boat ground to a halt where the water shallowed

adjective

Measuring a small distance from end to end.

Usage examples:

Short dark hair

verb

(of a vowel) categorized as short with regard to quality and length (e.g. in standard british english the vowel /ʊ/ in good is short as distinct from the long vowel /uː/ in food ).

noun

Short trousers that reach only to the knees or thighs.

Usage examples:

Cycling shorts

adjective

Easily understood or done; presenting no difficulty.

Usage examples:

A simple solution

noun

A medicinal herb, or a medicine made from one.

Usage examples:

The gatherers of simples

exclamation

Of very low intelligence.

adjective

Of a size that is less than normal or usual.

Usage examples:

The room was small and quiet

adverb

Into small pieces.

Usage examples:

Cut the okra up small

plural noun

Small items of clothing, especially underwear.

Usage examples:

Do we know if secreted about his smalls he has a pair of boxer shorts in either the ancient or red …

adjective

Easy to mould, cut, compress, or fold; not hard or firm to the touch.

Usage examples:

Soft margarine

adverb

(of a consonant) pronounced as a fricative (as c in ice ).

adjective

Not hard or firm; changing its shape when pressed

Usage examples:

The crabs are plucked from the water before their soft shells have had a chance to harden., the bab…

adjective

Feeling or showing grief.

Usage examples:

She looked at him with sorrowful eyes

adjective

Very sad

Usage examples:

With a sorrowful sigh she folded the letter and put it away.

verb

Crouch or sit with one's knees bent and one's heels close to or touching one's buttocks or the back of one's thighs.

Usage examples:

I squatted down in front of him

adjective

Short and thickset; disproportionately broad or wide.

Usage examples:

He was muscular and squat

noun

A squatting position.

Usage examples:

She fell back into a squat from the kneeling position he had raised her to.

verb

Make (someone) unable to breathe properly; suffocate.

Usage examples:

Those in the streets were stifled by the fumes

noun

A joint in the legs of horses, dogs, and other animals, equivalent to the knee in humans.

Usage examples:

At necropsy all stifle joints were stable to an anterior drawer force with no significant limitatio…

verb

Past simple and past participle of stifle

Usage examples:

He is said to have stifled his victim with a pillow., we almost stifled in the heat of the city., s…

adjective

Short and thick.

Usage examples:

Bob pointed with a stubby finger

noun

A squat bottle of beer typically holding 375 cl.

Usage examples:

Sunday's lazy morning was given a go-by as the guests gathered, many of them caressing the beer stu…

adjective

Short and thick

Usage examples:

He had rather unattractive, stubby fingers.

adjective

Having been prevented from growing or developing properly.

Usage examples:

The trees exhibit a stunted appearance

verb

Prevent from growing or developing properly.

Usage examples:

Some weeds produce chemicals that stunt the plant's growth

verb

Perform stunts, especially aerobatics.

Usage examples:

Agile terns are stunting over the water

adjective

(of a person or their manner) quiet and rather reflective or depressed.

Usage examples:

I felt strangely subdued as i drove home

verb

Overcome, quieten, or bring under control (a feeling or person).

Usage examples:

She managed to subdue an instinct to applaud

adjective

(of color or light) not very bright, or (of sound) not very loud

Usage examples:

A subdued voice, a subdued chalk-stripe suit, most of the fans were subdued, quietly waiting for th…

adjective

Lower in rank or position.

Usage examples:

His subordinate officers

noun

A person under the authority or control of another within an organization.

Usage examples:

He was mild-mannered, especially with his subordinates

verb

Treat or regard as of lesser importance than something else.

Usage examples:

Practical considerations were subordinated to political expediency

phrasal verb

Move something or somebody to a lower position

phrasal verb

To remove something that was previously put up or put in place

Usage examples:

It must be time to take down the holiday decorations., the indiana pacers took down cleveland, 80–7…

adjective

Shortened in duration or extent.

Usage examples:

His truncated career

verb

Shorten the duration or extent of.

Usage examples:

He was a sensational player whose career was truncated by injuries

adjective

Made briefer or shorter, usually by removing a part

Usage examples:

The truncated article fit into the space allowed but made little sense.

adjective

Not motivated or driven by a strong desire or determination to succeed.

Usage examples:

He was an unambitious man

adjective

An unambitious person does not have a strong wish to be successful, powerful, or rich

Usage examples:

She plays a competent, attractive young woman stuck with a slovenly and unambitious young man., he …

preposition

Extending or directly below.

Usage examples:

Vast stores of gas under the north sea

adverb

Extending or directly below something.

Usage examples:

Weaving the body through the crossbars, over and under, over and under

prefix

Below; beneath.

Usage examples:

Underclothes

preposition

Situated directly below (something else).

Usage examples:

Our bedroom is right underneath theirs

adverb

Situated directly below something else.

Usage examples:

There was plenty of storage room underneath

noun

The part or side of something facing towards the ground; the underside.

Usage examples:

A wart on the underneath of his foot

adjective

Not happy.

Usage examples:

An unhappy marriage

adjective

Not feeling pleasure or satisfaction

Usage examples:

It was an unhappy time of her life., they were unhappy about their hotel room (= did not like it) a…

adjective

Not attempting to impress others with an appearance of greater importance, talent, or culture than is actually possessed.

Usage examples:

A friendly and unpretentious hotel

adjective

Simple and/or sincere; not pretentious

Usage examples:

The food is delicious and unpretentious.

verb

Speak very softly using one's breath rather than one's throat, especially for the sake of secrecy.

Usage examples:

Alison was whispering in his ear

noun

A soft or confidential tone of voice; a whispered word or phrase.

Usage examples:

She spoke in a whisper

verb

Past simple and past participle of whisper

Usage examples:

She leaned over and whispered something in his ear., what are you two girls whispering about?, [ + …