Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - low

~1 adj 1 »NOT HIGH« a) having a top that is not far above the ground  (He jumped over the low wall. | a long low building) b) at a point that is not far above the ground  (low clouds | Put the books on the lowest shelf.) c) below the usual height  (a low bridge | The river is low for this time of year.) 2 »SMALL AMOUNT« a) small, or smaller than usual, in amount, value etc  (The price of oil is at its lowest for 10 years. | families existing on very low incomes | low-cost/low-budget etc)  (There's a desperate need for good low-cost housing.) b) low in having less than the usual amount of a substance or chemical  (food that is low in calories | low-fat/low-salt etc)  (I only smoke low-tar cigarettes. | low-alcohol beer) c) in the low 20s/50s etc a number, temperature etc in the low 20s etc is around 21, 22, or 23, but no higher  (Daytime temperature will be in the low 30s) 3 »BELOW USUAL LEVEL« small, or smaller than usual, in level or degree  (In this sort of investment, the risks are fairly low. | Morale has been low since the latest round of job-cuts. | low-risk/low-priority etc)  (a low-security prison) 4 »STANDARDS/QUALITY« below an acceptable or usual level or quality  (Their safety standards seem to be pretty low. | Cost-cutting has led to a lower quality of service.) 5 »SUPPLY« a supply of something that is low is nearly finished  (be/get/run low (on))  (We're running low on coffee. | Stocks are getting low.) 6 »SOUND« a low voice, sound etc is quiet or deep  (I heard a low moaning noise. | The volume is too low - turn it up. | a low whisper) 7 »LIGHT« a light that is low is not bright  (low romantic lighting in a restaurant) 8 »HEAT« if you cook something on a low heat or in a low oven, you cook it using only a small amount of heat 9 »BATTERY« a battery that is low does not have much power left in it 10 »CLOTHES« a low dress, blouse etc does not cover your neck and the top of your chest 11 »UNHAPPY« unhappy and without much hope for the future  (She's still feeling pretty low about failing that exam. | in low spirits)  (Terry seems to be in rather low spirits today.) 12 »DISHONEST« old-fashioned or humorous behaviour that is low is not fair or honest  (a low trick) 13 of low birth/breeding old-fashioned not from a high social class  (- see also be at a low ebb ebb1 (2)) - lowness n ~2 adv 1 in or to a low position or level  (He bent low over the engine. | Turn the heating down low.) 2 near the ground  (Watch out for low-flying aircraft.) 3 if you play or sing musical notes low, you play or sing them with quiet deep notes  (Sing those bars an octave lower.) 4 search/look high and low informal to look everywhere in order to find something 5 lie low a) to hide from people who are trying to catch you b) to wait and try not to be noticed by anyone  (Just lie low for a while.) 6 lay sb low to knock someone down onto the ground or to make someone feel very weak  (laid low by flu) 7 be brought low old-fashioned to become much less rich or important  (- see also lowly) ~3 n 1 a low price or level  (fall to a new low/hit a new low (=be worth less than ever before))  (The pound has fallen to a new low against the dollar. | all-time low (=much lower or worse than ever before))  (Profits hit an all-time low this month.) 2 a bad situation in someone's personal life  (all-time low (=a worse situation than ever before))  (1963 marked an all-time low in his family life. | highs and lows (=good times and bad times))  (the highs and lows in their marriage) 3 C usually singular a) an area of low pressure in the air  (a low moving in over the Pacific) b) a low temperature  (The overnight low will be 8°C.) 4 the lowest of the low a) informal someone you think is completely unfair, cruel, immoral etc  (Property barons are among the lowest of the low.) b) often humorous someone from a low social class ~4 v especially literary if cattle low, they make a deep sound