Tra từ low - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

low [low lows lowed lowing lower lowest] adjective, adverb, noun, verb BrE [ləʊ] NAmE [loʊ]
adjective (lower, low·est)

NOT HIGH/TALL
1. not high or tall; not far above the ground
•a low wall/building/table
•a low range of hills
•low clouds
•flying at low altitude
• The sun was low in the sky.
Opp: ↑high

NEAR BOTTOM
2. at or near the bottom of sth
•low back pain
•the lower slopes of the mountain
•temperatures in the low 20s (= no higher than 21–23°)
Opp: ↑high

CLOTHING
3. not high at the neck
•a dress with a low neckline
see also ↑low-cut

LEVEL/VALUE
4. (also low-) (often in compounds)below the usual or average amount, level or value
•low prices
•low-income families
•a low-cost airline
•the lowest temperature ever recorded
•a low level of unemployment
• Yogurt is usually very low in fat.
•low-fat yogurt
•low-tar cigarettes
Opp: ↑high
5. having a reduced amount or not enough of sth
• The reservoir was low after the long drought.
• Our supplies are running low (= we only have a little left).
•They were low on fuel.

SOUND
6. not high; not loud
•The cello is lower than the violin.
•They were speaking in low voices.
Opp: ↑high

STANDARD
7. below the usual or expected standard
•students with low marks/grades in their exams
•a low standard of living
Opp: ↑high

STATUS
8. below other people or things in importance or status
•low forms of life (= creatures with a very simple structure)
•jobs with low status
• Training was given a very low priority.
•the lower classes of society
Opp: ↑high

OPINION
9. usually before noun not very good
Syn: ↑poor
• She has a very low opinion of her own abilities.
Opp: ↑high

DEPRESSED
10. weak or depressed; with very little energy
Syn: ↑down
• I'm feeling really low.
• They were in low spirits.

NOT HONEST
11. (of a person)not honest
Syn: ↑disreputable
• He mixes with some pretty low types.

LIGHT
12. not bright
Syn: ↑dim
•The lights were low and romance was in the air.

IN VEHICLE
13. if a vehicle is in low gear, it travels at a slower speed in relation to the speed of the engine

PHONETICS
14. (phonetics) = ↑open
more at a high/low profile at ↑profile _n.

Word Origin:
adj. and n. adv. Middle English Old Norse lágr Germanic Dutch laag ↑liev. Old English hlōwan Germanic Dutch loeien Indo-European Latin clamare ‘to shout’

Thesaurus:
low adj.
1. not before noun
•Our food supplies were running low.
scarce • • in short supply • • short • • limited •
Opp: plentiful
supplies are low/limited
resources are scarce/in short supply/limited
food is scarce/in short supply/short
time is short/limited
Which word? Scarce and in short supply are used about resources that are not generally available; short is used especially about time and money; low is used especially about your supplies when you have not got much left.
2.
•They spoke in low voices.
deep • |approving rich • |music bass •
Opp: high
a low/deep/rich/bass voice/sound
a low/deep groan/roar/rumble
Low or deep? A low voice or sound is one that is near the bottom of the musical scale and is quiet. A deep voice or sound is near the bottom of the musical scale and can be loud or quiet.
3.
•Sadly, the work was of a low standard.
poor • • bad • • second-rate • • inferior • |informal dismal •
Opp: high
low/poor/bad/second-rate/inferior quality
a low/poor/bad opinion of sb/sth
a low/poor/inferior/dismal standard

Example Bank:
•I felt very low after my husband left me.
•I think he got a bit low when he had the flu.
•Keep your voice low.
•Our stocks of food were getting low.
•Supplies ran low.
•The failure rate is extremely low.
•The government wants to keep taxes low.
•The river was extremely low for winter.
•The windows look very low to me.
•This dish is very low in fat.
•historically low marriage statistics
•Much of the work was of a very low standard.
•Our supplies are running low.
•These measures will lead to a lower quality of life for many older people.
•They were low on fuel
Idioms: ↑at a low ebb ▪ ↑brought low ▪ ↑lay somebody low ▪ ↑lowest of the low

adverb (lower, low·est)

NOT HIGH
1. in or into a low position, not far above the ground
•to crouch/bend low
•a plane flying low over the town
•low-flying aircraft
• The sun sank lower towards the horizon.

NEAR BOTTOM
2. in or into a position near the bottom of sth
•a window set low in the wall
• The candles were burning low.

LEVEL
3. (especially in compounds)at a level below what is usual or expected
•low-priced goods
•a low-powered PC
•a very low-scoring game

SOUND
4. not high; not loudly
• He's singing an octave lower than the rest of us.
• Can you turn the music lower— you'll wake the baby.
see high and low at ↑high _adv., lie low at ↑lie _v., ↑sink _v., stoop so low (as to do sth) at ↑stoop _v.

Word Origin:
adj. and n. adv. Middle English Old Norse lágr Germanic Dutch laag ↑liev. Old English hlōwan Germanic Dutch loeien Indo-European Latin clamare ‘to shout’

noun

LEVEL/VALUE
1. a low level or point; a low figure
•The yen has fallen to an all-time low against the dollar.
•The temperature reached a record low in London last night.
•The government's popularity has hit a new low.

DIFFICULT TIME
2. a very difficult time in sb's life or career
•The break-up of her marriage marked an all-time low in her life.
•We all experience highs and lows in life.

WEATHER
3. an area of low pressure in the atmosphere
•Another low is moving in from the Atlantic.
Opp: ↑high

Word Origin:
adj. and n. adv. Middle English Old Norse lágr Germanic Dutch laag ↑liev. Old English hlōwan Germanic Dutch loeien Indo-European Latin clamare ‘to shout’

Example Bank:
•He had experienced all the highs and lows of an actor's life.
•Morale is at an all-time low.
•The pound has hit a new low against the dollar.

verb intransitive (literary)
when a cow lows, it makes a deep sound
Syn: ↑moo
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
adj. and n. adv. Middle English Old Norse lágr Germanic Dutch laag ↑liev. Old English hlōwan Germanic Dutch loeien Indo-European Latin clamare ‘to shout’