low blow
noun
(in boxing) an illegal blow below the waist of an opponent.
an unfair or unsportsmanlike criticism or attack.
QUIZZES
CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"
"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?
Question 1 of 10
earnest
Origin of low blow
First recorded in 1950–55
Words nearby low blow
loving-kindness, lovingest, low, low beam, low blood pressure, low blow, low board, low boiling point, low brass, low calorie diet, low camp
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Idioms and Phrases with low blow
low blow
An unscrupulous attack; an insult. For example, When my roommate moved out without a word of warning, leaving me to pay the entire rent, that was a low blow, or She wanted to win the argument, but bringing up his failed marriage was a low blow. This term alludes to the illegal practice of hitting an opponent in boxing below the belt. [c. 1950]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.