Low has 28 different meanings across 5 categories:
Noun · Verb · Adjective · Adverb · Proper Noun
an air mass of lower pressure; often brings precipitation
"a low moved in over night bringing sleet and snow"
British political cartoonist (born in New Zealand) who created the character Colonel Blimp (1891-1963)
"The low opinion of the war held by Low, a British political cartoonist born in New Zealand, was perfectly captured when he drew Colonel Blimp."
the lowest forward gear ratio in the gear box of a motor vehicle; used to start a car moving
"The mechanic shifted into low to help the heavy truck get rolling up the steep driveway."
A low point or position, literally (as, a depth) or or figuratively (as, a nadir, a time when things are at their worst, least, minimum, etc).
"The general public confused the military acronym LOW, which stands for launch on warning, with the simple adjective describing a quiet voice."
A flame; fire; blaze.
Barrow, mound, tumulus.
Acronym of launch on warning.
In plain English: A low is a deep sound made by an animal, person, or object.
"The low on my energy meant I couldn't finish the work today."
Usage: Do not use "low" as a noun to refer to an acronym; instead, write out "launch on warning." Use the word "low" as a noun only when describing a point at the bottom of something or a musical pitch.
To lower; to make low.
"The old fireplace began to low as we added another handful of kindling."
simple past of laugh.
To moo.
To burn; to blaze.
In plain English: To lower something means to make it go down or move to a lower position.
"The band decided to lower the volume so we could hear the speaker clearly."
Usage: Do not use "low" as a verb meaning to burn or blaze, as this is an archaic usage that does not appear in modern English. Instead, use verbs like "burn," "blaze," or "flare" when describing fire.
literal meanings; being at or having a relatively small elevation or upward extension
"low ceilings"
"low clouds"
"low hills"
"the sun is low"
"low furniture"
"a low bow"
used of sounds and voices; low in pitch or frequency
"The cat let out a low growl as it sensed something moving outside the window."
subdued or brought low in condition or status
"brought low"
"a broken man"
"his broken spirit"
filled with melancholy and despondency
"gloomy at the thought of what he had to face"
"gloomy predictions"
"a gloomy silence"
"took a grim view of the economy"
"the darkening mood"
"lonely and blue in a strange city"
"depressed by the loss of his job"
"a dispirited and resigned expression on her face"
"downcast after his defeat"
"feeling discouraged and downhearted"
Situated close to, or even below, the ground or another normal reference plane; not high or lofty.
"The old cabin sat low in the valley, nestled just above the rushing riverbank."
Pertaining to (or, especially of a language: spoken in) in an area which is at a lesser elevation, closer to sea level (especially near the sea), than other regions.
"The coastal dialect we learned as children sounded distinctly low compared to the highland accents from inland."
In plain English: Low means being at a small height, having little amount, or feeling sad and depressed.
Usage: Use "low" to describe something situated near the ground or below a standard level, such as a low fence or low humidity. Avoid using it for tall objects unless you are specifically contrasting their height against something else.
Close to the ground.
"The cat curled up low to the ground to stay hidden from the dog."
In plain English: Low means being at the bottom or near the ground.
"The car is driving low to avoid the potholes."
Usage: Use "low" as an adverb to describe actions that happen close to the ground or with little height, such as flying low over trees. Avoid using it to modify verbs related to volume unless you are specifically referring to pitch rather than intensity.
A surname.
"My neighbor, Mr. Low, invited me over for dinner last night."
The word "low" entered English from Middle English and Old Norse, originally describing something that is lying flat or situated near the ground. It traces its roots back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to lie," which also gave rise to related words for resting or reclining in many languages.