lowerverb [ T ]
uk/ˈləʊ.ər/us/ˈloʊ.ɚ/lower verb [ T ] (MOVE)
B2 to move something into a low position:
They lowered the coffin into the grave.
Heavily pregnant by now, she lowered herself carefully into the chair.
He lowered his eyes (= looked down) in embarrassment when he saw me.
More examples
- We lowered the floors to give more space in the rooms.
- He lowered the flag and the cars were off.
- They lowered the old man into a chair.
- We lowered the wall to let in more light.
- She lowered her hand so that I could see what she was holding.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Raising and lowering
- elevate
- elevated
- erect
- go down
- hike sth up
- hoick
- hoist
- jack
- jack sth up
- lever
- leverage
- pick
- pick sb/sth up
- prick (sth) up
- put
- ride
- run
- run sth up
- scoop sth/sb up
- winch
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lower verb [ T ] (REDUCE)
B2 to reduce something:
Interest rates have been lowered again.
Boil for five minutes, then lower the heat and simmer for half an hour.
Please lower your voice (= speak more quietly).
to make something worse than it was before:
a lowering of standards
humorous Dale lowered the tone of the evening (= made it less socially acceptable) by telling a dirty joke.
More examples
- He had hoped to become a doctor, but he had to lower his sights after his disappointing exam results.
- You should lower your speed as you approach a junction.
- The doctor told me to sponge Erik down with cold water in order to lower his temperature.
- The government has done much to lower unemployment.
- We are trying to lower absence due to ill health.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Becoming and making smaller or less
- a nip (here) and a tuck (there) idiom
- attenuate
- axe
- bite
- bite into sth
- dive
- drain
- let sth down
- let up
- make a hole in sth idiom
- miniaturization
- miniaturize
- minimize
- shrink
- slash
- strip sth away
- stripped down
- subside
- tail off
- take a tumble idiom
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Deteriorating and making worse
lower verb [ T ] (BEHAVE BADLY)
lower yourself
to behave in a way that makes people lose respect for you:
[ + to infinitive ] I wouldn't lower myself to respond to his insults if I were you.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Bad and wrong behaviour
- act
- act out
- act up
- angel
- astray
- at your worst idiom
- be no angel idiom
- cross
- go off the rails idiom
- go round
- impossible
- incorrigible
- indecorous
- rail
- rough
- step
- step out of line idiom
- step/be out of line idiom
- terrible twins
- try it on idiom
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loweradjective
uk/ˈləʊ.ər/us/ˈloʊ.ɚ/positioned below one or more similar things, or of the bottom part of something:
the lower deck of a ship
Her lower lip trembled as if she were about to cry.
I've got a pain in my lower (= the bottom part of my) back.
Opposite
upper
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Under & below
- below
- beneath
- low
- neath
- nether
- sub
- under
- under
- underfoot
- underlying
- underneath