lower

low|er¹ [ˈləuə US ˈlouər] adj

1.) [only before noun]

below something else, especially below something of the same type

≠ ↑upper

▪ Nina chewed her lower lip anxiously.

▪ Ruth went down to the lower deck (=lower level on a ship) .

your lower limbs

(=your legs)

2.) [only before noun]

at or near the bottom of something

≠ ↑upper

▪ the lower slopes of the mountain

▪ She suffers with pain in her lower back.

3.) smaller in number or amount

≠ higher

▪ Temperatures will be lower over the weekend.

4.) [only before noun]

less important than something else of the same type

≠ higher

▪ the lower levels of management

lower ²

lower² S3 v

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

1¦(reduce)¦

2¦(move down)¦

3 lower your eyes/head

4 lower yourself

5 lower the tone (of something)

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

1.) ¦(REDUCE)¦ [I and T]

to reduce something in amount, degree, strength etc, or to become less

▪ Do you think we should lower the price?

▪ After 20 minutes lower the temperature to 325°.

▪ drugs to lower blood pressure

▪ Helen lowered her voice (=made it quieter) as they approached.

▪ His voice lowered (=became quieter) .

2.) ¦(MOVE DOWN)¦ [T]

to move something down from higher up

≠ ↑raise

▪ Very gently, he lowered the dog onto the rug by the fire.

▪ The flags were lowered to half-mast.

▪ Greg watched as the coffin was lowered.

lower yourself

▪ He lowered himself carefully down from the top of the wall.

3.) lower your eyes/head

to look down

≠ ↑raise

▪ Christina blushed and lowered her eyes.

4.) 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.

5.) lower the tone (of sth)

to make something not as nice as it was

▪ They thought an influx of students would lower the tone of the neighborhood.

▪ Trust you to lower the tone of the conversation (=include rude jokes etc in what you say) !

>lowered adj

▪ He leaned forward and spoke in a lowered voice.

lower ³

low|er³ also lour BrE [ˈlauə US -ər] v [i]literary

1.) when the sky or the weather lowers, it becomes dark because there is going to be a storm

= ↑darken

▪ lowering clouds

2.) to look threatening or annoyed

= ↑frown

▪ The other driver lowered at us as we passed him.