Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Low \Low\, a. [Compar. {Lower}; superl. {Lowest}.] [OE. low,
   louh, lah, Icel. l[=a]gr; akin to Sw. l[*a]g, Dan. lav, D.
   laag, and E. lie. See {Lie} to be prostrate.]
   1. Occupying an inferior position or place; not high or
      elevated; depressed in comparison with something else; as,
      low ground; a low flight.

   2. Not rising to the usual height; as, a man of low stature;
      a low fence.

   3. Near the horizon; as, the sun is low at four o'clock in
      winter, and six in summer.

   4. Sunk to the farthest ebb of the tide; as, low tide.

   5. Beneath the usual or remunerative rate or amount, or the
      ordinary value; moderate; cheap; as, the low price of
      corn; low wages.

   6. Not loud; as, a low voice; a low sound.

   7. (Mus.) Depressed in the scale of sounds; grave; as, a low
      pitch; a low note.

   8. (Phon.) Made, as a vowel, with a low position of part of
      the tongue in relation to the palate; as, ? (?m), ? (all).
      See Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 5, 10, 11.

   9. Near, or not very distant from, the equator; as, in the
      low northern latitudes.

   10. Numerically small; as, a low number.

   11. Wanting strength or animation; depressed; dejected; as,
       low spirits; low in spirits.

   12. Depressed in condition; humble in rank; as, men of low
       condition; the lower classes.

             Why but to keep ye low and ignorant ? --Milton.

   13. Mean; vulgar; base; dishonorable; as, a person of low
       mind; a low trick or stratagem.

   14. Not elevated or sublime; not exalted or diction; as, a
       low comparison.

             In comparison of these divine writers, the noblest
             wits of the heathen world are low and dull.
                                                  --Felton.

   15. Submissive; humble. ``Low reverence.'' --Milton.

   16. Deficient in vital energy; feeble; weak; as, a low pulse;
       made low by sickness.

   17. Moderate; not intense; not inflammatory; as, low heat; a
       low temperature; a low fever.

   18. Smaller than is reasonable or probable; as, a low
       estimate.

   19. Not rich, high seasoned, or nourishing; plain; simple;
       as, a low diet.

   Note: Low is often used in the formation of compounds which
         require no special explanation; as, low-arched, low-
         browed, low-crowned, low-heeled, low-lying, low-priced,
         low-roofed, low-toned, low-voiced, and the like.

   {Low Church}. See {High Church}, under {High}.

   {Low Countries}, the Netherlands.

   {Low German}, {Low Latin}, etc. See under {German}, {Latin},
      etc.

   {Low life}, humble life.

   {Low milling}, a process of making flour from grain by a
      single grinding and by siftings.

   {Low relief}. See {Bas-relief}.

   {Low side window} (Arch.), a peculiar form of window common
      in medi[ae]val churches, and of uncertain use. Windows of
      this sort are narrow, near the ground, and out of the line
      of the windows, and in many different situations in the
      building.

   {Low spirits}, despondency.

   {Low steam}, steam having a low pressure.

   {Low steel}, steel which contains only a small proportion of
      carbon, and can not be hardened greatly by sudden cooling.
      

   {Low Sunday}, the Sunday next after Easter; -- popularly so
      called.

   {Low tide}, the farthest ebb of the tide; the tide at its
      lowest point; low water.

   {Low water}.
       (a) The lowest point of the ebb tide; a low stage of the
           in a river, lake, etc.
       (b) (Steam Boiler) The condition of an insufficient
           quantity of water in the boiler.

   {Low water} {alarm or indicator} (Steam Boiler), a
      contrivance of various forms attached to a boiler for
      giving warning when the water is low.

   {Low water mark}, that part of the shore to which the waters
      recede when the tide is the lowest. --Bouvier.

   {Low wine}, a liquor containing about 20 percent of alcohol,
      produced by the first distillation of wash; the first run
      of the still; -- often in the plural.


      (e) Very abstract; difficult to comprehend or surmount;
          grand; noble.

                Both meet to hear and answer such high things.
                                                  --Shak.

                Plain living and high thinking are no more.
                                                  --Wordsworth.
      (f) Costly; dear in price; extravagant; as, to hold goods
          at a high price.

                If they must be good at so high a rate, they
                know they may be safe at a cheaper. --South.
      (g) Arrogant; lofty; boastful; proud; ostentatious; --
          used in a bad sense.

                An high look and a proud heart . . . is sin.
                                                  --Prov. xxi.
                                                  4.

                His forces, after all the high discourses,
                amounted really but to eighteen hundred foot.
                                                  --Clarendon.

   3. Possessing a characteristic quality in a supreme or
      superior degree; as, high (i. e., intense) heat; high (i.
      e., full or quite) noon; high (i. e., rich or spicy)
      seasoning; high (i. e., complete) pleasure; high (i. e.,
      deep or vivid) color; high (i. e., extensive, thorough)
      scholarship, etc.

            High time it is this war now ended were. --Spenser.

            High sauces and spices are fetched from the Indies.
                                                  --Baker.

   4. (Cookery) Strong-scented; slightly tainted; as, epicures
      do not cook game before it is high.

   5. (Mus.) Acute or sharp; -- opposed to {grave} or {low}; as,
      a high note.

   6. (Phon.) Made with a high position of some part of the
      tongue in relation to the palate, as [=e] ([=e]ve), [=oo]
      (f[=oo]d). See Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 10,
      11.

   {High admiral}, the chief admiral.

   {High altar}, the principal altar in a church.

   {High and dry}, out of water; out of reach of the current or
      tide; -- said of a vessel, aground or beached.

   {High and mighty} arrogant; overbearing. [Colloq.]

   {High art}, art which deals with lofty and dignified subjects
      and is characterized by an elevated style avoiding all
      meretricious display.

   {High bailiff}, the chief bailiff.

   {High Church}, & {Low Church}, two ecclesiastical parties in
      the Church of England and the Protestant Episcopal Church.
      The high-churchmen emphasize the doctrine of the apostolic
      succession, and hold, in general, to a sacramental
      presence in the Eucharist, to baptismal regeneration, and
      to the sole validity of Episcopal ordination. They attach
      much importance to ceremonies and symbols in worship.
      Low-churchmen lay less stress on these points, and, in
      many instances, reject altogether the peculiar tenets of
      the high-church school. See {Broad Church}.

   {High constable} (Law), a chief of constabulary. See
      {Constable}, n., 2.

   {High commission court},a court of ecclesiastical
      jurisdiction in England erected and united to the regal
      power by Queen Elizabeth in 1559. On account of the abuse
      of its powers it was abolished in 1641.

   {High day} (Script.), a holy or feast day. --John xix. 31.

   {High festival} (Eccl.), a festival to be observed with full
      ceremonial.

   {High German}, or {High Dutch}. See under {German}.

   {High jinks}, an old Scottish pastime; hence, noisy revelry;
      wild sport. [Colloq.] ``All the high jinks of the county,
      when the lad comes of age.'' --F. Harrison.

   {High latitude} (Geog.), one designated by the higher
      figures; consequently, a latitude remote from the equator.
      

   {High life}, life among the aristocracy or the rich.

   {High liver}, one who indulges in a rich diet.

   {High living}, a feeding upon rich, pampering food.

   {High Mass}. (R. C. Ch.) See under {Mass}.

   {High milling}, a process of making flour from grain by
      several successive grindings and intermediate sorting,
      instead of by a single grinding.

   {High noon}, the time when the sun is in the meridian.

   {High place} (Script.), an eminence or mound on which
      sacrifices were offered.

   {High priest}. See in the Vocabulary.

   {High relief}. (Fine Arts) See {Alto-rilievo}.

   {High school}. See under {School}.

   {High seas} (Law), the open sea; the part of the ocean not in
      the territorial waters of any particular sovereignty,
      usually distant three miles or more from the coast line.
      --Wharton.

   {High steam}, steam having a high pressure.

   {High steward}, the chief steward.

   {High tea}, tea with meats and extra relishes.

   {High tide}, the greatest flow of the tide; high water.

   {High time}.
      (a) Quite time; full time for the occasion.
      (b) A time of great excitement or enjoyment; a carousal.
          [Slang]

   {High treason}, treason against the sovereign or the state,
      the highest civil offense. See {Treason}.

   Note: It is now sufficient to speak of high treason as
         treason simply, seeing that petty treason, as a
         distinct offense, has been abolished. --Mozley & W.

   {High water}, the utmost flow or greatest elevation of the
      tide; also, the time of such elevation.

   {High-water mark}.
      (a) That line of the seashore to which the waters
          ordinarily reach at high water.
      (b) A mark showing the highest level reached by water in a
          river or other body of fresh water, as in time of
          freshet.

   {High-water shrub} (Bot.), a composite shrub ({Iva
      frutescens}), growing in salt marshes along the Atlantic
      coast of the United States.

   {High wine}, distilled spirits containing a high percentage
      of alcohol; -- usually in the plural.

   {To be on a high horse}, to be on one's dignity; to bear
      one's self loftily. [Colloq.]

   {With a high hand}.
      (a) With power; in force; triumphantly. ``The children of
          Israel went out with a high hand.'' --Ex. xiv. 8.
      (b) In an overbearing manner, arbitrarily. ``They governed
          the city with a high hand.'' --Jowett (Thucyd. ).

   Syn: Tall; lofty; elevated; noble; exalted; supercilious;
        proud; violent; full; dear. See {Tall}.