from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Low \Low\ (l[=o]), a. [Compar. {Lower} (l[=o]"[~e]r); superl.
{Lowest}.] [OE. low, louh, lah, Icel. l[=a]gr; akin to Sw.
l[*a]g, Dan. lav, D. laag, and E. lie. See {Lie} to be
prostrate.]
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1. Occupying an inferior position or place; not high or
elevated; depressed in comparison with something else; as,
low ground; a low flight.
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2. Not rising to the usual height; as, a man of low stature;
a low fence.
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3. Near the horizon; as, the sun is low at four o'clock in
winter, and six in summer.
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4. Sunk to the farthest ebb of the tide; as, low tide.
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5. Beneath the usual or remunerative rate or amount, or the
ordinary value; moderate; cheap; as, the low price of
corn; low wages.
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6. Not loud; as, a low voice; a low sound.
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7. (Mus.) Depressed in the scale of sounds; grave; as, a low
pitch; a low note.
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8. (Phon.) Made, as a vowel, with a low position of part of
the tongue in relation to the palate; as, [a^] ([a^]m),
[add] ([add]ll). See Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect]
5, 10, 11.
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9. Near, or not very distant from, the equator; as, in the
low northern latitudes.
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10. Numerically small; as, a low number.
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11. Wanting strength or animation; depressed; dejected; as,
low spirits; low in spirits.
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12. Depressed in condition; humble in rank; as, men of low
condition; the lower classes.
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Why but to keep ye low and ignorant ? --Milton.
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13. Mean; vulgar; base; dishonorable; as, a person of low
mind; a low trick or stratagem.
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14. Not elevated or sublime; not exalted in thought or
diction; as, a low comparison.
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In comparison of these divine writers, the noblest
wits of the heathen world are low and dull.
--Felton.
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15. Submissive; humble. "Low reverence." --Milton.
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16. Deficient in vital energy; feeble; weak; as, a low pulse;
made low by sickness.
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17. Moderate; not intense; not inflammatory; as, low heat; a
low temperature; a low fever.
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18. Smaller than is reasonable or probable; as, a low
estimate.
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19. Not rich, high seasoned, or nourishing; plain; simple;
as, a low diet.
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Note: Low is often used in the formation of compounds which
require no special explanation; as, low-arched,
low-browed, low-crowned, low-heeled, low-lying,
low-priced, low-roofed, low-toned, low-voiced, and the
like.
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{Low Church}. See {High Church}, under {High}.
{Low Countries}, the Netherlands.
{Low German}, {Low Latin}, etc. See under {German}, {Latin},
etc.
{Low life}, humble life.
{Low milling}, a process of making flour from grain by a
single grinding and by siftings.
{Low relief}. See {Bas-relief}.
{Low side window} (Arch.), a peculiar form of window common
in medi[ae]val churches, and of uncertain use. Windows of
this sort are narrow, near the ground, and out of the line
of the windows, and in many different situations in the
building.
{Low spirits}, despondency.
{Low steam}, steam having a low pressure.
{Low steel}, steel which contains only a small proportion of
carbon, and can not be hardened greatly by sudden cooling.
{Low Sunday}, the Sunday next after Easter; -- popularly so
called.
{Low tide}, the farthest ebb of the tide; the tide at its
lowest point; low water.
{Low water}.
(a) The lowest point of the ebb tide; a low stage of the
in a river, lake, etc.
(b) (Steam Boiler) The condition of an insufficient
quantity of water in the boiler.
{Low water alarm} or {Low water indicator} (Steam Boiler), a
contrivance of various 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. --Bouvier.
{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.
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