lower

1 adjective

1 (only before noun) below something else, especially beneath something of the same type: Nina chewed her lower lip anxiously. | the lower limbs (=legs)

2 (only before noun) at or near the bottom of something: the lower slopes of the mountain

3 smaller in number or amount: Temperatures will be lower over the weekend.

4 (only before noun) less important than something else of the same type: the lower levels of management

2 verb

1 REDUCE (I, T) to reduce something in amount, degree, strength etc, or to become less: After 20 minutes lower the temperature to 325º. | drugs to lower blood pressure | lower your voice (=make it quieter): Helen lowered her voice as they approached.

2 MOVE DOWN (T) to move something down from higher up: The flags were lowered to half-mast. | lower sth down/into/between etc: They lowered the coffin into the grave.

3 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.

4 lower the tone often humorous to make a conversation, a social situation etc less polite, for example by telling rude jokes: They thought an influx of students would lower the tone of the neighborhood.

5 lower your eyes to look down: Katrina lowered her eyes demurely.

- lowered adjective: Zoe watched through lowered eyelashes. 3 also lour BrE verb (I)

1 when the sky or the weather lowers, it becomes dark because there is going to be a storm: lowering clouds

2 literary to look threatening or annoyed; frown 1: lowering at us across the table