Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - lower

~1 adj 1 only before noun below something else, especially beneath something of the same type  (Nina chewed her lower lip anxiously. | the lower limbs (=legs)) 2 only before noun at or near the bottom of something  (the lower slopes of the mountain) 3 smaller in number or amount  (Temperatures will be lower over the weekend.) 4 only before noun less important than something else of the same type  (the lower levels of management) ~2 v 1 »REDUCE« to reduce something in amount, degree, strength etc, or to become less  (After 20 minutes lower the temperature to 325°. | drugs to lower blood pressure | lower your voice (=make it quieter))  (Helen lowered her voice as they approached.) 2 »MOVE DOWN« to move something down from higher up  (The flags were lowered to half-mast. | lower sth down/into/between etc)  (They lowered the coffin into the grave.) 3 lower yourself (usually in negatives) to behave in a way that makes people respect you less  (I wouldn't lower myself to speak to her after what she's done.) 4 lower the tone often humorous to make a conversation, a social situation etc less polite, for example by telling rude jokes  (They thought an influx of students would lower the tone of the neighborhood.) 5 lower your eyes to look down  (Katrina lowered her eyes demurely.) - lowered adj  (Zoe watched through lowered eyelashes.) ~3 also lour BrE v 1 when the sky or the weather lowers, it becomes dark because there is going to be a storm  (lowering clouds) 2 literary to look threatening or annoyed; frown1  (lowering at us across the table)