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low

1
[ loh ]
/ loʊ /
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adjective, low·er, low·est.
adverb, low·er, low·est.
noun
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Idioms about low

    lay low,
    1. to overpower or kill; defeat: to lay one's attackers low.
    2. to knock down; make prostrate.
    3. Informal. to lie low.
    lie low,
    1. to conceal oneself: He had to lie low for a while.
    2. to do nothing until the right opportunity develops; bide one's time: Until the dispute is settled, you would do best to lie low.

Origin of low

1
First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English lou(e), loh(e) (adjective and noun), earlier lāh, from Old Norse lāgr (adjective) “low, low down”; cognate with Old Frisian lēge, lēch, Dutch laag, Old High German laege; akin to lie2

synonym study for low

27. See mean2.

OTHER WORDS FROM low

lowish, adjectivelowness, nouno·ver·low·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH low

low , lowly

Other definitions for low (2 of 4)

low2
[ loh ]
/ loʊ /

verb (used without object), lowed, low·ing.
to utter the deep, low sound characteristic of cattle; moo.
verb (used with object), lowed, low·ing.
to utter by or as by lowing.
noun
the act or the sound of lowing: the low of a distant herd.

Origin of low

2
First recorded before 1000; Middle English lowen, Old English hlōwan; cognate with Dutch loeien, Old High German hluoen, Old Saxon hlōian; akin to Old Norse Hlōi a proper name (literally, “bellower, shouter”), Latin clāmāre “to call out”

Other definitions for low (3 of 4)

low3

or lowe

[ loh ]
/ loʊ /

verb (used without object), lowed, low·ing.British Dialect.
to burn; blaze.
(of a person) to feel strong emotions; glow with excitement.

Origin of low

3
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old Norse loga “to flame,” log “a flame,” akin to German lohen (verb), Lohe (noun), Latin lūcēre (verb), lūx (noun) “light”; see also light1

Other definitions for low (4 of 4)

Low
[ loh ]
/ loʊ /

noun
David, 1891–1963, English political cartoonist, born in New Zealand.
Juliette, 1860–1927, founder of Girl Scouts in the U.S.
Seth, 1850–1916, U.S. political reformer, educator, and politician.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use low in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for low (1 of 3)

low1
/ (ləʊ) /

adjective
adverb
noun

Derived forms of low

lowness, noun

Word Origin for low

C12 lāh, from Old Norse lāgr; related to Old Frisian lēch low, Dutch laag

British Dictionary definitions for low (2 of 3)

low2
/ (ləʊ) /

noun Also: lowing
the sound uttered by cattle; moo
verb
to make or express by a low or moo

Word Origin for low

Old English hlōwan; related to Dutch loeien, Old Saxon hlōian

British Dictionary definitions for low (3 of 3)

Low
/ (ləʊ) /

noun
Sir David. 1891–1963, British political cartoonist, born in New Zealand: created Colonel BlimpSee blimp 2
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with low

low

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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