lo w-cal ADJ [usu ADJ n] Low-cal food is food that contains only a few calories. People who are trying to lose weight eat low-cal food.
lo w-cu t ADJ [usu ADJ n] Low-cut dresses and blouses do not cover the top part of a woman's chest.
lo w-down also lowdown
1 N‑SING If someone gives you the low-down on a person or thing, they tell you all the important information about them. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ on ] We want you to give us the low-down on your team-mates.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] You can use low-down to emphasize how bad, dishonest, or unfair you consider a particular person or their behaviour to be. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ …a lowdown, evil drunkard. □ They will stoop to every low-down trick.
low|er ◆◇◇ /loʊ ə r / (lowers , lowering , lowered )
1 ADJ [ADJ n, the ADJ ] You can use lower to refer to the bottom one of a pair of things. □ She bit her lower lip. □ …the lower deck of the bus. □ The upper layer of felt should overlap the lower. □ …the lower of the two holes.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] You can use lower to refer to the bottom part of something. □ Use a small cushion to help give support to the lower back. □ …fires which started in the lower part of a tower block.
3 ADJ [ADJ n, the ADJ ] You can use lower to refer to people or things that are less important than similar people or things. □ Already the awards are causing resentment in the lower ranks of council officers. □ The nation's highest court reversed the lower court's decision. □ The higher orders of society must rule the lower.
4 VERB If you lower something, you move it slowly downwards. □ [V n prep/adv] Two reporters had to help lower the coffin into the grave. □ [V pron-refl] Sokolowski lowered himself into the black leather chair. □ [V n] 'No movies of me getting out of the pool, boys.' They dutifully lowered their cameras. ● low|er|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the extinguishing of the flame and the lowering of the flag.
5 VERB If you lower something, you make it less in amount, degree, value, or quality. □ [V n] The bank has lowered interest rates by 2 percent. ● low|er|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …a package of social measures which included the lowering of the retirement age.
6 VERB If someone lowers their head or eyes, they look downwards, for example because they are sad or embarrassed. □ [V n] She lowered her head and brushed past photographers as she went back inside. □ [V n] She lowered her gaze to the hands in her lap.
7 VERB If you say that you would not lower yourself by doing something, you mean that you would not behave in a way that would make you or other people respect you less. □ [V pron-refl] Don't lower yourself, don't be the way they are. □ [V pron-refl + to ] I've got no qualms about lowering myself to Lemmer's level to get what I want.
8 VERB If you lower your voice or if your voice lowers , you speak more quietly. □ [V n] The man moved closer, lowering his voice. □ [V ] His voice lowers confidentially.
9 → see also low SYNONYMS lower VERB 5
lessen: Make sure that your immunisations are up to date to lessen the risk of serious illness.
cut: The first priority is to cut costs.
reduce: Consumption is being reduced by 25 per cent.
lo w|er ca se also lower-case N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Lower-case letters are small letters, not capital letters. □ It was printed in lower case. □ We did the logo in lower-case letters instead of capitals.
lo w|er cla ss (lower classes ) also lower-class N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb, usu pl] Some people use the lower class or the lower classes to refer to the division of society that they consider to have the lowest social status. □ Education now offers the lower classes access to job opportunities. ● ADJ Lower class is also an adjective. □ …lower-class families.
lo w|est com|mon de|no mi|na|tor (lowest common denominators )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you describe a plan or policy as the lowest common denominator , you are critical of it because it has been deliberately made too simple so that nobody will disagree. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ They reduce complicated explanations to the lowest common denominator.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you say that something is designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator , you are critical of it because it is designed to be liked by the majority of people. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Tabloid newspapers pander to the lowest common denominator.
3 N‑COUNT In mathematics, the lowest common denominator is the smallest number that all the numbers on the bottom of a particular group of fractions can be divided into. [TECHNICAL ]
lo w-fly ing ADJ [ADJ n] Low-flying aircraft or birds are flying very close to the ground, or lower than normal.
lo w-i mpact
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Low-impact exercise does not put a lot of stress on your body.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Low-impact projects, developments, and activities such as holidays are designed to cause minimum harm to the environment. □ …sensitive, enlightened, low-impact ecotourism.
lo w-ke y ADJ If you say that something is low-key , you mean that it is on a small scale rather than involving a lot of activity or being made to seem impressive or important. □ The wedding will be a very low-key affair. □ He wanted to keep the meetings low-key.