1. Occupying an
inferior position or seat; not
tall or elevated;
depressed in collation with something else; as,
low ground; a
low flight.
2. Not rising to the
normal height; as, a
man of
low stature; a
low fence.
3. Around the horizon; as, the sun is
low at four o'clock in winter, and
six in summer.
4. Sunk to the farthest
ebb of the tide; as,
low tide.
5. Beneath the
normal or remunerative
course or amount, or the
usual value; temperate; cheap; as, the
low cost of cereal;
low wages.
6. Not loud; as, a
low voice; a
low sound.
7. Depressed in the
scale of sounds; grave; as, a
low pitch; a
low note.
8. Made, as a vowel, with a
low position of
part of the
tongue in
relation to the palate; as, (m), (all).
9. Around, or not very distant from, the equator; as, in the
low northern latitudes.
10. Numerically little; as, a
low number.
11. Wanting power or animation; depressed; dejected; as,
low spirits;
low in spirits.
12. Depressed in condition;
humble in rank; as,
men of
low condition; the lower classes. "Why
but to
hold ye
low and ignorant ?" (Milton)
13. Mean; vulgar; base; dishonorable; as, a
face of
low mind; a
low trick or stratagem.
14. Not elevated or sublime; not exalted or diction; as, a
low collation. "In collation of these
divine writers, the noblest wits of the
heathen world are
low and dull." (Felton)
15. Submissive; humble. "Low reverence."
16. Deficient in
vital energy; feeble; weak; as, a
low pulse; made
low by sickness.
17. Temperate; not intense; not inflammatory; as,
low heat; a
low temperature; a
low fever.
18. Less than is reasonable or probable; as, a
low estimate.
19. Not wealthy,
tall seasoned, or nourishing; plain; simple; as, a
low diet.
Low is often used in the
formation of compounds which
require no
particular explanation; as, low-arched, low- browed, low-crowned, low-heeled, low-lying, low-priced, low-roofed, low-toned, low-voiced, and the like. Low Church. See Tall Church,
under Tall. Low Countries, the Netherlands. Low German, Low Latin, etc. See German, Latin, etc. Low life,
humble life. Low milling, a process of making flour from
corn by a
single grinding and by siftings. Low relief. See Bas-relief.
Low side window, a contrivance of different forms attached to a boiler for giving warning when the water is low. Low water mark, that part of the shore to which the waters recede when the tide is the lowest. Low wine, a liquor containing about 20 percent of alcohol, produced by the first distillation of wash; the first run of the still; often in the plural.
Origin: OE. Low, louh, lah, Icel. Lagr; akin to Sw. Lag, Dan. Lav, D. Laag, and E. Lie. See Lie to be prostrate.
1. In a low position or manner; not aloft; not on tall; around the ground.
2. Under the normal cost; at a temperate cost; cheaply; as, he sold his wheat low.
3. In a low mean condition; humbly; meanly.
4. In time approaching our own. "In that part of the world which was first inhabited, even as low down as Abraham's time, they wandered with their flocks and herds." (Locke)
5. With a low voice or sound; not loudly; gently; as, to say low. "The . . . Odourous wind Breathes low between the sunset and the moon." (Tennyson)
6. With a low musical pitch or tone. "Can sing both tall and low." (Shak)
7. In subjection, poverty, or disgrace; as, to be brought low by oppression, by want, or by vice.
8. In a path around the equator, so that the declination is little, or around the horizon, so that the altitude is little; said of the heavenly bodies with reference to the diurnal revolution; as, the moon runs low, that is, is comparatively around the horizon when on or around the meridian.
Source: Websters Vocabulary