lowering

[ lou-er-ing, louuh r-ing ]

/ ˈlaʊ ər ɪŋ, ˈlaʊər ɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR lowering ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

dark and threatening, as the sky, clouds, or weather; overcast; gloomy: lowering skies.

frowning or sullen, as the face or gaze; scowling; angry.

Nearby words

lower-case, lower-case letters, lower-class, lowercase, lowerclassman, lowering, loweringly, lowermost, lowery, lowes, lowest

Also louring.

Origin of lowering

First recorded in 1300–50, lowering is from the Middle English word louring. See lower², -ing²

Related formslow·er·ing·ly, adverb

Definition for lowering (2 of 3)

lower

[ loh-er ]

/ ˈloʊ ər /

verb (used with object)

to cause to descend; let or put down: to lower a flag.

to make lower in height or level: to lower the water in a canal.

to reduce in amount, price, degree, force, etc.

to make less loud: Please lower your voice.

to bring down in rank or estimation; degrade; humble; abase (oneself), as by some sacrifice of self-respect or dignity: His bad actions lowered him in my eyes.

Music. to make lower in pitch; flatten.

Phonetics. to alter the articulation of (a vowel) by increasing the distance of the tongue downward from the palate: The vowel of “clerk” is lowered to (ä) in the British pronunciation.

verb (used without object)

to become lower, grow less, or diminish, as in amount, intensity, or degree: The brook lowers in early summer. Stock prices rise and lower constantly.

to descend; sink: the sun lowering in the west.

adjective

comparative of low¹.

of or relating to those portions of a river farthest from the source.

(often initial capital letter) Stratigraphy. noting an early division of a period, system, or the like: the Lower Devonian.

noun

a denture for the lower jaw.

a lower berth.

Origin of lower

1150–1200; Middle English, comparative of low¹ (adj.)

SYNONYMS FOR lower

1 drop, depress.

3 decrease, diminish, lessen.

4 soften.

5 humiliate, dishonor, disgrace, debase.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR lower ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR lower

3 raise, increase.

5 elevate, honor.

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Related formslow·er·a·ble, adjective

Definition for lowering (3 of 3)

lower

[ lou-er, louuhr ]

/ ˈlaʊ ər, laʊər /

verb (used without object)

to be dark and threatening, as the sky or the weather.

to frown, scowl, or look sullen; glower: He lowers at people when he's in a bad mood.

noun

a dark, threatening appearance, as of the sky or weather.

a frown or scowl.

Also lour.

Origin of lower

1250–1300; Middle English lour (noun), louren (v.) to frown, lurk; akin to German lauern, Dutch loeren

SYNONYMS FOR lower

1 darken, threaten.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR lower ON THESAURUS.COM

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for lowering

In a new video, the Kentucky Republican brags about lowering the boom on sexual harasser Bob Packwood.
And Now Mitch McConnell Is the ‘Pro-Woman’ Candidate!|Eleanor Clift|October 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Under a lowering sky, the entourage crowds into two Hertz station wagons for the sixty mile drive to Las Cruces.
Stacks: Hitting the Note with the Allman Brothers Band|Grover Lewis|March 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ted Kennedy,” the aide continued, lowering his voice to a whisper for the punch line, “dead.
The Hillary-Haters’ Book Club Will Never Run Out of Things to Read|Michelle Cottle|January 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was convinced that lowering income taxes—then as high as 91 percent—would spur economic growth.
The New New Left Is No New Frontier and JFK Was No Liberal|James L. Swanson, Michael F. Bishop|October 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST

And now, let them stay there in opposition to the lowering of corporate tax rates.
Obama Can Best Weaken the GOP by Courting Its Traditional Business Backers|Michael Tomasky|July 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Here the speaker directed a lowering glance at Lt. Heidt, who was moving towards the table.
Dry Fish and Wet|Anthon Bernhard Elias Nilsen
By raising the flaps on one side and lowering them on the other the balance was well preserved.
The Boy's Book of New Inventions|Harry E. Maule
Dr. Kirk found by an accidental experiment on himself that it acts by lowering the pulse.
A Popular Account of Dr. Livingstone's Expedition to the Zambesi and Its Tributaries|David Livingstone
"If I might suggest that there's no time to be lost—" with a significant glance toward the lowering sky.
The Outdoor Girls at the Hostess House|Laura Lee Hope
Its great height was obtained by lowering the floor, so that the unity of the whole exterior should not be destroyed.
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Durham|J. E. Bygate

British Dictionary definitions for lowering (1 of 2)

lower

/ (ˈləʊə) /

adjective

being below one or more other thingsthe lower shelf; the lower animals

reduced in amount or valuea lower price

maths (of a limit or bound) less than or equal to one or more numbers or variables

(sometimes capital) geology denoting the early part or division of a period, system, formation, etcLower Silurian

verb

(tr) to cause to become low or on a lower level; bring, put, or cause to move down

(tr) to reduce or bring down in estimation, dignity, value, etcto lower oneself

to reduce or be reducedto lower one's confidence

(tr) to make quieterto lower the radio

(tr) to reduce the pitch of

(tr) phonetics to modify the articulation of (a vowel) by bringing the tongue further away from the roof of the mouth

(intr) to diminish or become less

Derived Formslowerable, adjective

Word Origin for lower

C12 (comparative of low 1); C17 (vb)

British Dictionary definitions for lowering (2 of 2)

lower

lour

/ (ˈlaʊə) /

verb (intr)

(esp of the sky, weather, etc) to be overcast, dark, and menacing

to scowl or frown

noun

a menacing scowl or appearance

Derived Formslowering or louring, adjectiveloweringly or louringly, adverb

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

Word Origin and History for lowering (1 of 3)

lower

v.1

c.1600, "to descend, sink," from lower (adj.), from Middle English lahghere (c.1200), comparative of low (adj.). Transitive meaning "to let down, to cause to descend" attested from 1650s. Related: Lowered; lowering. In the sense "to cause to descend" the simple verb low (Middle English lahghenn, c.1200) was in use into the 18c.

Word Origin and History for lowering (1 of 3)

lower

v.2

"to look dark and threatening," also lour, Middle English louren, luren "to frown" (early 13c.), "to lurk" (mid-15c.), from Old English *luran or from its cognates, Middle Low German luren, Middle Dutch loeren "lie in wait." Form perhaps assimilated to lower (1). Related: Lowered; lowering.

Word Origin and History for lowering (2 of 3)

lower

adj.

c.1200, lahre, comparative of lah (see low (adj.)).

Science definitions for lowering

lower

[ lō′ər ]

Being an earlier division of the geological or archaeological period named. Compare upper.

lowering

adjective

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Nearby words

Origin of lowering

Definition for lowering (2 of 3)

lower

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

adjective

noun

Origin of lower

Definition for lowering (3 of 3)

lower

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of lower

Examples from the Web for lowering

British Dictionary definitions for lowering (1 of 2)

lower

adjective

verb

Word Origin for lower

British Dictionary definitions for lowering (2 of 2)

lower

lour

verb (intr)

noun

Word Origin and History for lowering (1 of 3)

lower

Word Origin and History for lowering (1 of 3)

lower

Word Origin and History for lowering (2 of 3)

lower

Science definitions for lowering

lower

lowering

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Origin of lowering

Definition for.css-ylq2vz{color:#1a1a1a;} lowering (2 of 3)

lower

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

adjective

noun

Origin of lower

Definition for lowering (3 of 3)

lower

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of lower

Examples from the Web for lowering

British Dictionary definitions for lowering (1 of 2)

lower

adjective

verb

Word Origin for lower

British Dictionary definitions for lowering (2 of 2)

lower

lour

noun

Word Origin and History for lowering (1 of 3)

lower

Word Origin and History for lowering (1 of 3)

lower

Word Origin and History for lowering (2 of 3)

lower

Science definitions for lowering

lower

adjective

Definition for lowering (2 of 3)