belowbe‧low /bɪˈləʊ $ -ˈloʊ/ ●●● S2 W2 adverb, preposition 
an animal that lives below ground Water was dripping onto the floor below. I could hear voices in the courtyard below my window. They camped a few hundred feet below the summit. Down below, people were talking and laughing. Somewhere far below, a door slammed. The kitchen is directly below her bedroom. Captain Parker went below (=to the lower level of the ship), leaving Clooney in charge.► see thesaurus at under2of a lower rank or having a less important job than someone else OPP above: No one below the level of senior manager was present at the meeting.and/or below officers of the rank of captain and below3less than a particular number, amount, level etc OPP above: Test scores below 50 were classed as ‘unsatisfactory’. In June the rate of inflation fell below 3%. Tom’s spelling is well below average (=much worse than the normal standard).below freezing/zero (=lower than the temperature at which water freezes) In winter, temperatures dip to 40 degrees below freezing.and/or below free travel for children four years old and below4lower on the same page, or on a later page OPP above: Details of courses are listed below. For more information, see below. → below par at par(2), → below the belt at belt1(4)
WORD ORIGINbelow
Origin:
1300-1400 ➔ LOW1EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Answer each of the questions below.
- Designer clothing was offered at wholesale prices and below.
- officers of the rank of captain and below
- The wood is rotted below.
- Water was dripping onto the ground below.
THESAURUS
something that is under something else has that thing directly above it or covering it: · The pen was under the desk.· She had a T-shirt on under her sweater.
in a lower position than something else, though not always directly under it: · From the cliffs we could barely see the people on the beach below us.· His apartment is below ours on the left.
under – used especially to emphasize that something covers, touches, or hides something: · The girls wear shorts underneath their cheerleading skirts.· I found the book underneath the sofa.
formal under or at a lower level: · They strolled hand in hand beneath the summer moon.· The water lies just beneath the surface of the earth.
Longman Language Activatorunder something that is directly above something that is under something else has that thing directly above it: · The pen fell under the desk.· If there's no one at home, just shove the letter under the door.· A small dog scampered into the room and dived under the table.· We stood close together under his umbrella, trying to keep dry.
directly under another object and close to it: · We found your keys in the sofa underneath a cushion.· The cats like to sleep underneath the wood stove when it's cold.· Sheets of newspaper had been laid underneath the carpet.· A pipe was leaking, so we put a bucket underneath to catch the drips.
directly under something - used especially in formal writing or in literature: · The ship passed beneath the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco Bay.· As he walked across the hall, the boards creaked beneath his feet.
in a lower position or at a lower level than something at a lower level: · John lives on the top floor and Julie lives on the floor below.· They looked down from the mountain to the valley far below.· The dog's leg was broken just below the hip.· Her hair hangs down below her shoulders.· Our pilot spotted two MiG29s flying below us.
at a lower level than something and often a little in front or to one side of it - used especially in formal writing or in literature: · Beneath the east window of the church stands the great altar.· The army was encamped beneath the castle walls.· They stood on the cliff and gazed down at the raging sea beneath.
under the ground or under water · It is one of the largest mountain ranges under the Pacific Ocean.· Several of the stolen items were found buried under Mackie's house.· When the project is finished, most of Boston's major roads will run under the city.
under - used in formal writing or in literature: · Far beneath the waters of the North Atlantic lies the wreck of the great liner, the Titanic.· Petroleum occurs in natural deposits beneath the surface of the earth.
under the ground: · The men work underground for 12 hours a day.· The explosives will be stored below ground in concrete bunkers.10 metres underground/two miles underground etc: · The nuclear waste is buried a half-mile underground.
below the ground: · A subterranean stream is believed to flow underneath the town.· a subterranean explosion· Electronic sensors have located a huge subterranean cavern in the Sierre Madre mountain range.
under the water: · I don't like opening my eyes underwater.· a camera specially designed for use under water· On land the seal is a clumsy creature, but underwater it moves with grace and agility.
just under the surface of the water: · The boat hit a submerged rock.· Sometimes at low tide you can just see the submerged wreck of a large ship.partially/partly submerged: · The flight recorder was found smashed and partially submerged in a creek nearby.
under something such as clothes, skin, or paint · I was wearing a thick sweater under my coat, but I was still cold.· Scabies is a disease caused by a tiny insect that lays its eggs just underneath the skin.
under a layer of something - used in formal writing or in literature: · The boy lay trembling beneath the bedclothes.· The inscription was hidden beneath a layer of dirt and grime.
less than a number or amount · Some of the miners were earning less than $2 an hour.· There she was, less than ten feet away from me, walking past with the other guests of honour.for less than · The average income here is far less than the national average.
less than a particular age, price, amount, or number: · Children under 16 will not be admitted without an adult.· Where can you get a meal for under $5?well under: · The stock market's highest point this week was well under what was predicted.
less than a particular temperature, speed, limit, or level: · At night, the temperature is often below freezing.fall below something (=become less than): · The inflation rate has fallen below 6%.far/well below: · The school's test scores are far below average.
a lower figure, amount, rate, level etc is less than the one you have already mentioned: · They rejected our estimate and suggested a lower figure.· There's no doubt that lower energy prices are having some short-term impact on the stock market.lower than: · The divorce rate in Japan is much lower than in the U.S.
at some point that is less than a particular period of time, distance, or limit: · The top prize is a trip to Hawaii, which must be taken within a year of the prize drawing.· Pupils living within two miles of the school are expected to pay their own bus fares.
: minus five/ten/twenty etc use this about numbers that are less than zero or temperatures that are below zero degrees: · When we take away points for hitting obstacles, you get a final score of minus seven.· Tonight's low temperatures could reach minus twenty degrees in some areas.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY an animal that lives below ground Down below, people were talking and laughing. Somewhere far below, a door slammed. The kitchen is directly below her bedroom. Captain Parker went below (=to the lower level of the ship), leaving Clooney in charge. officers of the rank of captain and below Tom’s spelling is well below average (=much worse than the normal standard). free travel for children four years old and belowCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Peter stayed below deck. These youngsters work 70 metres below ground level. 28% of children tested below the norm. Car sales are still below normal for the time of year. The results are shown in Table 7a (see below).
an animal that lives below ground Down below, people were talking and laughing. Somewhere far below, a door slammed. The kitchen is directly below her bedroom. Captain Parker went below (=to the lower level of the ship), leaving Clooney in charge. officers of the rank of captain and below Tom’s spelling is well below average (=much worse than the normal standard). (=lower than the temperature at which water freezes) In winter, temperatures dip to 40 degrees below freezing.
In winter, temperatures dip to 40 degrees below freezing. free travel for children four years old and below Peter stayed below deck. (=be worse that someone hoped or expected)· Our profits last year fell below expectations.
(=lower, worse, or less successful than expected)· Retail sales in December were well below expectations.
These youngsters work 70 metres below ground level. 28% of children tested below the norm. Car sales are still below normal for the time of year. The results are shown in Table 7a (see below). (=not be good enough)· His performance yesterday was below standard.
· They earn well below $5 an hour.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· But when the average cost curve is falling the marginal cost curve lies below average cost.· I counted only six white workers in the factory, half of which seemed to be of below average intelligence.· It was not an altogether convincing Braintree display against a below average looking Yeading side.· When the offences happened he was an unenthusiastic and below average soldier, the court heard.· Large economies of scale mean that marginal cost lies below average cost.· Frayed edges, broken by a very below average human finger, nearly fit round corners of chipped cream-painted cream furniture.· But it needed a full-time crammer to get you there and you're still below average.
VERB· Whether this should take place and its implications will be considered below.· A number of authors, whose work will be considered below, have attempted explanations largely in terms of social class.· There are variations of each technique, and they are considered below.· The constitution and functions of the Board, established by the Legal Aid Act 1988, are considered below.· In the types of engine considered below, this is done by using the lightest mass propellant possible-hydrogen.· Some of these are considered below.· Whether we should discard the traditional framework, and whether review should become akin to appeal, will be considered below.· It is not, however, the only method and others are considered below.
· A few examples of projects which have taken place are described below as an illustration of what can be achieved.· So let me simply say at the outset that what I describe below are biological, not moral, events.· The main types of services likely to be offered are described below.· The provisions described below, however, are generally part of all collective bargaining contracts: 1.· Surveys of in-house library use are described below.· The principal river systems and their major tributaries are described below.
· Most may have been there in the pre-Norman period, although whether as fully developed villages or not will be discussed below.· Specific ways of checking individual groups of algae are discussed below.· The main effects of this difference are discussed below.· The forces governing the allocation of fluid between intravascular and interstitial compartments will be discussed below.· There are two main ways of interpreting them and these will be discussed below.· Some of the main difficulties faced by new care assistants are discussed below.· The six main categories are discussed below.· The other important class of search keys are the subject labels which will be discussed below.
· A quarter of single pensioners fell below the £106-a-week threshold.· From 1985 to 1991, city figures show, the rate fell below 20 per 1, 000 births only once.· The rate may fall below that, depending on the general trend of interest rates.· The rate fell below 3 percent only once, in early 1988.· Five years ago, for example, it was assumed that if unemployment fell below 6 percent, inflation would rise.· The temperature had fallen below zero.· In October the index fell below 20,000 points, leading to government intervention to support the market.· In 1996, unemployment in the region fell below 4 percent for the first time in years.
· The manual contained an explanation of these codes, an example of which is given below.· For the reasons given below, we hold that the District Court abused its discretion in imposing the tax increase.· An example of written particulars is given below.· A summary of the characteristics of quality circles is given below.· Three examples of Product Segmentation are given below.· One can, therefore, quote only examples of this range, and two are given below.· Further information, and the materials referred to, can be obtained from Liberon at the address given below.· The ones listed below give more detailed information about social security benefits.
· Initial nominations and appointments are listed below and members are invited to make further nominations to fill vacancies where indicated.· Companies listed below reported quarterly profit substantially different from the average of analysts' estimates.· Some of the most useful and renowned journals for the modern period are listed below.· The characteristics of generalized seizures are listed below and contrasted with events usually occurring in syncope. 1.· Some selected examples are listed below.· The rules in the sale agreement governing the completion accounts should cover the main areas listed below.· Career advancement can be accelerated by completion of certification programs offered by the associations listed below.
· However, vases are the primary motifs in the two designs outlined below.· The differences between and the characteristics of each type of search is outlined below.· For the reasons outlined below, we have had to raise our Contents premiums in certain areas of the country.· But it doesn't always work out easily, as shown in the situation outlined below.· Under the headings of efficiency and accountability a number of initiatives were introduced which are briefly outlined below.· The possibilities where this may occur are outlined below.· Some of the many measures dealt with are outlined below.· The major elements in each are outlined below.
· This is one of the uses of a check list, as seen below.· As we shall see below, truants defined in this way made up very small proportions of absentees.· In fact recent findings make this kind of view untenable, as we will see below.
· A simplified funds flow statement is shown below.· The graph below shows the number of performance quality breakthroughs from 1991 through 1994.· Four cases have been selected as illustrations; the items included in their weekly community care costs are shown below.· The traditional colours associated with each city state and province are shown below.· Three sample questions are shown below.· The War Wagon tower has its own toughness value, wounds, and other characteristics as shown below.· All hits against the chariot in hand-to-hand or shooting are randomly allocated as shown below.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1in a lower place or position, or on a lower level OPP above: - Hits us below the belt as often as not.
- That was definitely a blow below the belt!
- Whichever camp you are in, the same celestial advice will apply - hit below the belt.
- Temperatures remained below freezing during the afternoon.
- And when the temperature goes much below freezing, the EV1 barely goes at all.
- It roots out vines, truffles for lemon trees painfully heated by charcoal to three degrees above freezing.
- It should show frost when outside temperatures are below freezing.
- Temperatures had, for several days, been near 00F at night, and it was well below freezing now.
- Thanks to the warming influence of the Gulf Stream, the climate is also mild, temperatures rarely dropping much below freezing.
- The snow may crust at night, due to outward radiation, even thought the air temperature remains well above freezing point.
- When she complained to a doctor that it was down below freezing she could not have been nearer the mark.
- Yet it was not really cold here; the temperature was well above freezing point.
- For a second year, economic growth has been substantially below par.
- I haven't been up to par since the operation.
- He later warned the council's executive committee chairman Erica Wheeler that Mrs Ware's work was below par.
- Delgard had assured him that St Joseph's no longer kept its dead below stairs.
- He stirred as below stairs the maid tinkled a bell, the sign for dinner.
- Mrs Gracie, left below stairs, set her lips.
- The air of excitement was as great below stairs as it was above.
- To clean all the rooms below stairs.
an animal that lives below ground Water was dripping onto the floor below. I could hear voices in the courtyard below my window. They camped a few hundred feet below the summit. Down below, people were talking and laughing. Somewhere far below, a door slammed. The kitchen is directly below her bedroom. Captain Parker went below (=to the lower level of the ship), leaving Clooney in charge.► see thesaurus at under2of a lower rank or having a less important job than someone else OPP above: No one below the level of senior manager was present at the meeting.and/or below officers of the rank of captain and below3less than a particular number, amount, level etc OPP above: Test scores below 50 were classed as ‘unsatisfactory’. In June the rate of inflation fell below 3%. Tom’s spelling is well below average (=much worse than the normal standard).below freezing/zero (=lower than the temperature at which water freezes) In winter, temperatures dip to 40 degrees below freezing.and/or below free travel for children four years old and below4lower on the same page, or on a later page OPP above: Details of courses are listed below. For more information, see below. → below par at par(2), → below the belt at belt1(4)